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FOREIGN ADVENTURE SERIES 


"TVs'? 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


THE FOREIGN ADVENTURE SERIES 


BY 

EDWARD S. ELLIS 

ILLUSTRATED BY 

EDWIN J. PRITTIE 


No. i. — Lost in the Forbidden Land 

No. 2. — River and Jungle 

No. 3. — The Hunt of the White Elephant 


The Foreign Adventure Series is bound in 
uniform style in Cloth, with side and back stamped 


in colors. 

Price, single volume $1.00 

Price, per set of three volumes, in attrac- 
tive boxes 3.00 


* 



















V 




































4 
















Dudley sprawled forward on his face 


see page 71 




FOREIGN ADVENTURE SERIES 


River and Jungle 


By Edward S. Ellis 

Author of “Deerfoot Series / ’ “ Young Pioneer Series,” 
“Log Cabin Series,” “The New Deerfoot Series,” 
“Up and Doing Series,” etc., etc. 


* > > 

ILLUSTRATED 

By EDWIN J. PRITTIE 


THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY 

CHICAGO PHILADELPHIA TORONTO 




€ 


LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Csoies Received 


AUG 1 1906 


Copyright Entry 

7?Uly23.>9<rk 

CLASS'/ d XXc. No. 


/ L/-0 b D 3 

COPY B. 


Copyright 1906 , by The John C. Winston Co. 

Copyright 1905, by Edward S. Ellis. 

Copyright 1877, by James Elverson. 


CONTENTS 


PACK 


Chap. 

I. 

Traveler and Guide . . . 

9 

Chap. 

II. 

A Tropical Zephyr . . . 

19 

Chap. 

III. 

A Hurried Flight Over a 




Roof 

30 

Chap. 

IV. 

A Dispute Between Neigh- 




bors . . ...... 

4i 

Chap. 

V. 

A Strange Meeting , . . 

49 

Chap. 

VI. 

The White Elephant . . 

63 

Chap. 

VII. 

The Elephant Catcher . 

74 

Chap. 

VIII. 

Concerning Elephants . 

85 

Chap. 

IX. 

A Reminiscence 

96 

Chap. 

X. 

The Spoor 

108 

Chap. 

XI. 

Down in the Mouth . . 

115 

Chap. 

XII. 

Giants at Play 

126 

Chap. 

XIII. 

Night in the Jungle . . 

138 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Chap. XIV. The Second Morning in 

the Jungle 151 

Chap. XV. Another Curiosity . . . 160 

Chap. XVI. Man Versus Monkey . . 17 1 

Chap. XVII. A Failure 182 

Chap. XVIII. A Memorable Bath . . . 193 

Chap. XIX. A Startling Occurrence 204 

Chap. XX. Bound and a Captive . . 217 

Chap. XXI. On the Island 227 

Chap. XXII. Captor and Captive . . . 238 

Chap. XXIII. In the Hut 249 

Chap. XXIV. Music Hath Charms . . 260 

Chap. XXV. Heading Up Stream ... 271 

Chap. XXVI. Home at Last 283 

Chap. XXVII. The Night Before . . . 295 

Chap. XXVIII. “I Have Found It” . . . 304 

Chap. XXIX. A Snub 318 

Chap. XXX. The End is the Beginning 329 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Frontispiece: Dudly Sprawled Forward on 
His Face 

Helpless in the Grasp of the Tornado . 
Flipped the Crocodile’s Craggy Head with 
His Paw 


PAGB 

2 3 

119 


He Could Scarcely See Through the Sack 


225 







RIVER AND JUNGLE 


CHAPTER I 

TRAVELER AND GUIDE 

I T IS something more than a generation ago 
that George Mayson, an American mission- 
ary, entered upon his self-sacrificing 
labors in Siam, locating about fifty miles to the 
eastward of the royal city of Ayuthia, which 
was conquered by the king of Pegu in the six- 
teenth century. 

When Mr. Mayson left his native country, he 
took with him his wife and little daughter, 
Fannie, but his son Dudley, who was about ten 
years old, remained in order that he might re- 
ceive the educational training which could not 
be obtained in the distant region on the other 
side of the world. Dudley made his home with 
his uncle, a brother of his father. He was a? 
sturdy, vigorous lad, fond of sports and of his 
studies, in which he did so well that his uncle 
wrote his parents, when the boy had reached the 
9 


10 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


age of sixteen, that he was prepared to enter 
college. Such, however, was not the purpose of 
his father, who gave the permission for which 
his son had been impatiently waiting to join his 
parents and sister in Farther India. 

Dudley received the consent as a boy hails 
the granting of a long-coveted vacation. It 
was natural that he should long to visit strange 
countries, for what American youth does not 
feel such a yearning? The letters from his par- 
ents and finally from Fannie, when she became 
old enough to write, kept alive the flame that 
had been kindled when he tearfully bade them 
good bye on the pier in New York. Knowing 
for years that he was to go to the other side of 
the globe, it was natural that he should acquaint 
himself as fully as possible with the country 
and its people. Had you been a passenger on 
the steamer which took Dudley from New York 
to England, whence he sailed by another 
steamer to Calcutta and thence to Bangkok, and 
had you entered into conversation with the 
youth, he would have told you many interesting 
facts about Burmah, known also as the King- 
dom of Ava, and of Siam the principal state of 
Indo-China. He knew more than many men 
who had lived in Burmah for years about its 
physical features, its climate, its minerals, its 


TRAVELER AND GUIDE 


11 


vegetable productions, the animals, the ethnol- 
ogy and the religion, which you need not he told 
is Buddhism. 

Dudley knew a good deal too about the myth- 
ical history of Burmah. He could have told 
you of the long strife between the kingdoms of 
Ava and Pegu for mastery. Pegu reached its 
zenith about 1580, but nearly two hundred years 
later, the Peguans were conquered by Alompra, 
the greatest warrior-king in Burmah history, 
and the present dynasty was founded. Then 
followed collisions with the British, who in 
1852, reduced Burmah to its present limits. 
British Burmah, including the three maritime 
provinces beyond the Ganges, were united un- 
der one local administration in 1862, the whole 
territory having been taken from the king of 
Burmah in the two wars for which he gave ex- 
cuse. That of 1885 finally resulted in the ab- 
sorption of Burmah by the British Empire. 

Of Siam’s history Dudley would have told 
you that the annals begin over two thousand 
years ago, though nothing authentic is known 
until 1350 when Ayuthia, the former capital, 
was founded. Cambodia was first conquered in 
1532, and in the last century the Siamese domin- 
ion was extended to Singapore. The present 
dynasty ascended the throne in 1782, but the 


12 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


Protestant and Catholic missionaries, who be- 
gan their labors in 1828, have met with only 
slight success. 

However, I do not intend to impose upon you 
one-half of all the youth learned, the telling of 
which would occupy many pages, for my object 
is to give the story of Dudley Mayson’s expe- 
riences in Farther India, and they will take all 
the space I have at command. 

In high spirits, after his long voyage, Dudley 
landed at the picturesque city of Bangkok, the 
“.Venice of the East,” with its numberless 
canals, quaint, bell-shaped pagodas, and its myr- 
iad idols erected to the honor of Buddha. The 
uncle of the lad had presented him with an ex- 
cellent rifle, which you may be sure the boy 
guarded with jealous care. It was not the mod- 
ern breechloader and repeater, but an excellent 
weapon, with which your fathers were more 
familiar than you. 

Dudley’s heart was beating high with hope, 
when he scanned the crowd on the wharf for 
sight of his father and mother, whom he was 
sure he would recognize, though he was not so 
certain about Fannie, who had grown from an 
infant to quite a large girl. But though the lad 
studied the many faces that were turned cu- 
riously toward the passenger, to his great dis- 


TRAVELER AND GUIDE 13 

appointment, he saw not one of his relatives. 
He walked slowly down the plank, gazing right 
and left, and wondering what it all meant, when 
he observed a slim, athletic native, of swarthy 
complexion, bare-legged, wearing a turban, and 
with black eyes of serpent-like keenness, who 
was scrutinizing him with evident interest. 

When the youth paused on the wharf, debate 
ing what he ought to do next, and how he was 
to get the explanation of that which mystified 
him, the native who had been scanning him 
closely came forward, touched his forefinger to 
his forehead, and with excellent accent, asked : 

“Are you Master Dudley Mayson?” 

“I am,” replied the astonished youth; “who 
are you?” 

“I have a letter from your good father for 
you,” said the native, bowing and drawing a 
missive from under the thin calico-like jacket 
which enclosed the upper part of his body. The 
youth recognized the familiar writing of his 
parent in pencil, and, with an interest which 
may be imagined, read : 

“ My Dear Dud : We are as disappointed as you in not 
meeting you in Bangkok. Two of my native converts, in 
whom your mother and I are deeply interested, lie at death's 
door with fever, and we feel, in the critical situation, that 
it is not well to leave them alone. So I send the bearer to 


14 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


take charge of yon. He is Nughwa, a convert, unusually 
intelligent and faithful, who will be the best of servants to 
you, and give you better care than I could give. He will 
bring you by steamer to Ayuthia, from which point you 
will have about fifty miles to travel through the jungle on 
foot. The experience will be a fitting introduction to Far- 
ther India. You can send your luggage forward by two 
native bearers that Nughwa will engage at Ayuthia. Do 
not pay these men in advance, but leave the settlement to 
me. They will be more prompt and faithful, if they know 
the reward is awaiting them at the end of their journey 
than they would be if the wages were given them before 
they had earned it. 

“ I need not tell you how anxiously we are awaiting your 
coming. Mother, Fannie and I can hardly restrain the 
delight we feel at the prospect of soon clasping you in our 
arms. God be with you, as He has been with us all in the 
past, thanks for His manifold mercies. 

“ Your Affectionate Father.” 

Dudley was thrilled with happiness by the 
perusal of this note, though he could not re- 
strain a touch of regret that the meeting with 
his loved ones was thus deferred for several 
days. But the prospect of a tramp through the 
wonderful Siamese forest, in company with one 
who had known it all his life, appealed to the 
youth, who impatiently awaited the hour for 
starting. Nughwa shouldered the lad’s trunk, 
and they tramped the short distance to an 
adjoining wharf, where passage was engaged to 


TRAVELER AND GUIDE 


15 


Ayuthia. Tlie steamer soon sailed, and the 
slight voyage was made without mishap or ad- 
venture. At the ancient capital two natives 
eagerly snatched the chance to carry the trunk 
through the jungle to the missionary station, 
more than content to receive their pay on the 
conclusion of their work. They had heard of 
the “good man true,” as they referred to the 
clergyman, and, slight as was the compensation, 
it was a windfall to the grinning natives, who 
chattering, laughing and in a jolly mood, set off 
almost on a run, taking turns in carrying the 
small trunk, which seemed to be no more than 
a feather’s weight to the active, sinewy fellows. 

At Ayuthia, Nughwa and Dudley May son 
turned eastward and entered the Siamese forest. 
In that land of vegetable and animal exuberance, 
nothing was to be feared in the way of a famine. 
In tropical countries, one cares little for animal 
nourishment, the food being almost exclusively 
fruit, which, as you know is more cooling than 
flesh, which forms the staple article of diet in 
the frozen regions. 

Rice and sugar are the principal crops of 
Siam, and the chief fruits are the mango, the 
guava, the mangosteen, the banana, and the du- 
rian, which ranks as the king of fruits. The 
last named in one respect resembles our tomato, 


16 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


in that nearly every person feels at first a dis- 
like for it. Many refuse to touch it in any 
circumstances. When Dudley Mayson, in re- 
sponse to the repeated urgings of his compan- 
ion, forced himself to bite into the fruit, he 
actually held his nose, to shut out all perception 
of its flavor. Once his thumb and forefinger 
slipped and he howled with disgust, ere he could 
clasp his olfactories again. 

Nughwa shook with laughter, but not until he 
had assured Dudley that his parents and sister 
were extremely fond of the fruit would he re- 
peat the attempt. It speedily grew more toler- 
able, and by and by he became fond of it. The 
native had brought a fine rifle and a good sup- 
ply of ammunition, so that both were well pre- 
pared for the experience that was certain to 
come to them before reaching the missionary 
station. 

Throughout the first day, Nughwa led his 
friend over a well marked trail which in the 
main followed the right direction. At night, it 
approached a small, sluggish stream on the 
banks of which they started a fire. The noise 
of prowling animals, some of which approached 
quite close to camp, kept the youth in so nervous 
a state that, despite his fatigue, he did not fall 
asleep until near midnight. The sight of a pair 


TRAVELER AND GUIDE 


17 


of glowing eyes, the shadowy outline of a wild 
beast, whose character he could not guess, ex- 
cept to know that it was the blaze alone that re- 
strained it from leaping upon him, was not cal- 
culated to soothe the nerves of a visitor in the 
jungle. But Dudley was tired out from the 
tramp, which was all the harder from his long 
rest on shipboard, and at last he dropped into 
slumber which did not end until the hot, tropical 
sun was shining through the heavy foliage over- 
head. 

With the coming of daylight, the denizens of 
the jungle slunk from sight, and Nughwa seized 
the occasion to gather some bananas and man- 
gosteens, upon which the two made their morn- 
ing meal. The tramp over the trail was a con- 
tinual wonder to Dudley Mayson, who paused 
more than once to admire the towering trunks, 
the winding endless vines, the brilliant tropical 
flowers and vegetation, and the glimpses of 
birds of gorgeous plumage, flitting among the 
branches overhead,, with now and then a sight 
of some wild animal, or writhing serpent, which 
flashed across their path or hissed at them when 
they passed too near. Many of these were of 
the most venomous species, and kept the youth 
in a constant state of apprehension. 

In walking forward, an interval of ten or 
2 


18 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


twelve feet was between the two friends. Dud- 
ley was sauntering in this aimless fashion, when 
his guide suddenly stopped. The lad did the 
same, but could not divine the cause for such an 
abrupt halt on the part of his friend. 

4 ‘ Stand where you are,” said Nughwa in an 
even voice, ‘ ‘ and you will not be harmed. ’ ’ 

“I don’t see why I should be harmed, if I 
keep on,” replied the youth, who, nevertheless, 
remained motionless. 

The native said nothing, but turning about, 
began walking toward his friend on tiptoe, as if 
trying to avoid all noise. He had come half the 
distance, when he again paused, reached the 
muzzle of his gun into the dense shrubbery at 
the side of the path, and struck a sharp blow at 
something which he alone saw. Pausing only 
an instant, he struck a second time. Dudley 
had heard a twisting and turning among the 
leaves, but it ceased. 

“It is dead,” calmly remarked Nughwa, “you 
need have no fear, my friend. ’ ’ 

“The only way to free me from fear is to kill 
all such pests,” growled Dudley, as he resumed 
his walk, wondering by what means his guide 
had learned of the danger that impended, after 
he had passed it and it was closer to Dudley 
himself than to the other. 


CHAPTER II 


A TROPICAL ZEPHYR 

T HE observant Nughwa noticed that the 
continuous tramping was trying to his 
companion. Dudley would speedily re- 
gain his normal athletic condition, but he needed 
time in which to do it. The guide, therefore, 
indulged him, but managed it so delicately that 
the youth never suspected the fact. 

During their long rests, Dudley talked much 
of his father, mother and sister. He never 
tired of hearing about the loved ones, and 
Nughwa showed his love for the good people 
whenever reference was made to them. The 
son was glad in his heart that he had come to 
spend the years with those who seemed to grow 
dearer to him with every mile’s decrease of the 
distance separating them. 

The second noonday halt was made a little 
earlier than usual, the reason on the part of 
the guide being that to which I have referred. 

“ While you wait here, I will make search 

19 


20 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


for something that will serve for our dinner,’ ’ 
remarked Nughwa, as his young friend sought 
an inviting seat on the ground. 

“Very well; do as you please, for I don’t see 
the need of any hurry on our part, though the 
nearer I get home, the more anxious I am to 
push on.” 

Nughwa sauntered off, disappearing almost 
immediately among the luxuriant foliage that 
walled them in on every hand. Dudley was 
growing accustomed to the perils of a tropical 
jungle, and did not hesitate to lean back against 
the trunk of a massive rubber tree, that seemed 
to tower more than a hundred feet above him. 
Although he had slept well for most of the pre- 
ceding night, he was beginning to feel drowsy, 
when he became conscious of a strange sound 
that was creeping through the forest. He sat 
up alert and suspicious. 

“I have had glimpses of strange countries 
since leaving America, ’ ’ he thought, ‘ 4 but Siam 
beats them all; a fellow doesn’t know what to 
expect next ; what can this mean ? ’ ’ 

The sound, of which he had become so sud- 
denly aware, resembled a low, mournful moan- 
ing which rapidly grew in volume and then died 
away as abruptly as it had begun. 

“Maybe it’s some kind of wild animal that 


A TROPICAL ZEPHYR 


21 


I haven’t met yet; if it’s coming down my way 
there’s nothing like being ready.” 

Reaching out, he picked up his rifle which he 
had leaned against the tree, and, rising to his 
feet, stood listening and peering into the forest 
depths around him. 

Dudley Mayson was not left long in doubt. 
Looking aloft he saw the broad leaves agitated 
and swaying, while through the fluttering open- 
ings, he observed an ominous darkening of the 
sky. 

“It’s a hurricane, or tornado or cyclone, or 
whatever they call it in this part of the world 
and I don’t know whether to stay where I am 
or run for shelter.” 

But whither should he flee? In the western 
part of our own country, the settlers, when they 
see signs of the coming of the cyclone, take to 
their cellars and remain till the terror has gone 
by. But there was no subterranean retreat in 
which Dudley could find refuge, and the worst 
course would be to climb one of the trees 
around him. To dash to the right or left, or 
to the rear or front, might carry him into the 
claws of the demon of the sky. To stay where 
he was might do the same, but since there was 
no choice, he held his ground. 

The moaning abruptly rose to a roar, and 


22 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


in the air overhead were eddying leaves, whirl- 
ing twigs and branches of considerable size. 
The lurid gloom assumed a peculiar, greenish 
hue, whose frightful appearance was intensified 
by quivering streaks of lightning, which cut 
hack and forth through the gloom, like crimson 
swords, in invisible hands. For a time, this 
electrical display was unaccompanied by the 
slightest noise. 

Awed and scared, Dudley was viewing the 
impressive scene, when, all at once, the whole 
greenish-black space, reaching from the hori- 
zon to the zenith, flashed into a vivid, blind- 
ing sheet of flame, succeeded instantly by Egyp- 
tian darkness. Then came a crash, as if earth 
and sky had met in collision, and the former 
had been shattered. The flame and shock 
marked the discharge of the aerial into the ter- 
restrial battery, — the effort of that fearful and 
so little known power to regain its equilibrium. 
There was one horrible throb of the tortured 
atmosphere, which caused Dudley Mayson to 
gasp, and involuntarily leap from the ground. 

But he had seen terrific storms in his own 
country, and he kept command of his senses. 
He knew the roaring was increasing fast. 
Amid the tumult, suddenly sounded a pattering 
as if hailstones were rattling on the roof of a 



Helpless in the grasp of the tornado 






























*■ 




















» 
























































ft 































A TROPICAL ZEPHYR 


23 


house, but it was caused by raindrops of un- 
usual bigness. They shot downward through 
the foliage like rifle bullets, and, seen at inter- 
vals against the background of fiery sky, re- 
called the old figure of the spears of a mighty 
advancing army. 

Noting the increase of fury, Dudley started 
to place the trunk of the tree between him and 
the tornado, but he could not reach the protec- 
tion. He was forced back and, turning about, 
leaned to the rear, but was pushed forward as 
if by one of his own age, who had his hands 
against his back, and was shoving with might 
and main. 

The fact that he was helpless in the grasp of 
the tornado frightened Dudley, who clutched a 
bush with one hand, only to find his fingers im- 
mediately snatched free again. 

“I wonder where I’m going to fetch up,” he 
thought with a thrill of dread; “we passed a 
stream of water only a little way back, and 1 
don’t want to be pitched into that, but I believe 
I ’m diving in that direction ! ’ ’ 

Under the impulse of his great fear, he did 
the only thing that promised to save him for 
the time being: he threw himself flat on the 
ground, dropping his gun and flinging both 


24 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


arms around the base of a sapling, to which he 
clung with desperate strength. 

As he lay thus, a vast relief came to him with 
the knowledge that the volley from the artillery 
of the air was far enough above the surface of 
the earth to miss him altogether. The small 
tree to which he clung swayed to and fro, but 
the strain on the roots was slight, and even 
when the young American ventured with some 
timidity to sit up, he was not driven from his 
position. 

‘ 4 1 ’m going to need all the arms I own before 
I get through with this business,” he thought, 
as he slipped the strap of his rifle over his head, 
so as to hold the weapon against his back, with 
his hands free. Had not his hat been tied fast, 
it would have been whisked away with the first 
breath of the gale. 

The tornado was raging with indescribable 
violence, and, as is not infrequently the case, 
it assumed a certain rotary movement. The 
darkness became almost like night, owing partly 
to the limbs, leaves, twigs, branches and in more 
than one case, trees that were spinning through 
the air. Fearful of being lifted bodily from 
the earth, Dudley once more dropped on his 
face and clasped his hands behind the sapling. 

A peculiar shivering of the base caused him 


A TROPICAL ZEPHYR 


25 


to look up. Three feet above the ground the 
tree, fully five inches in diameter, suddenly 
parted, the action being the more striking, be- 
cause in the deafening roar • and tumult, no 
sound of the disruption was heard. In one in- 
stant the sapling’s trunk was solid and the next 
second only a stump remained with a hundred 
needle-like splinters pointing skyward. The 
rest of the tree that had been wrenched off, 
plunged away and joined the dismembered 
forest monarchs that were holding their carni- 
val. 

Dudley should have hugged the ground 
tighter than ever, but the pandemonium be- 
wildered him, and while he did not rise to his 
feet, he again sat up. It was at that precise 
moment that the vortex of the cyclone caught 
him and away he went as the sapling with its 
splintered prongs had gone to join the wild 
dance. Realizing his mistake, he tried desper- 
ately to throw himself on the ground but could 
not do so. Think of the situation of a boy, 
caught in such a gust of wind that he cannot 
fall down! He was swept onward amid the 
swirling branches and trees, as if he were but a 
twig himself. That he was not killed seemed 
a miracle, but it is probable his danger was les- 
sened by the fact that he was carried with the 


26 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


torrent which swept everything before it. 
Once, he caught a glimpse of another body, 
made a football like himself, but the sight was 
so brief, he could not tell whether the unfortu- 
nate was man or animal. 

It is unlikely that this wild flight of Dudley 
Mayson lasted more than a very few minutes, 
for had it been longer, assuredly he must have 
been hurled to death, as may be said, in the 
twinkling of an eye. He ran, tumbled, scram- 
bled to his feet, vainly resisted, and kept on 
going until suddenly he was roused by the con- 
sciousness that he was in the water. Still fights 
ing for life, like a senseless animal, from blind 
instinct rather than reason, he was enveloped in 
spray and mist, sometimes under the surface 
and sometimes above, and in momentary peril 
of being strangled. Without seeking to do so, 
he grasped the limb of a tree that was larger 
than any to which he had hitherto clung for 
support. Even with this aid, it was impossible 
he should have escaped had not the tornado sub- 
sided as suddenly as it had burst forth in irre- 
strainable fury. 

Within the same minute that he seized the 
new support, he saw he was outside the zone of 
danger. A few fitful flashes of lightning 
quivered in the air and then ceased. The pall- 


A TROPICAL ZEPHYR 


27 


like curtain that had darkened the sky was 
drawn aside and the tropical sun came forth 
again in all its flaming splendor. The terror 
of darkness fled at the approach of beauteous 
day. 

The tornado, which as has been shown, re- 
sembled the terrific cyclones of our own coun- 
try, cut a swath of no more than a hundred 
yards in width, as it charged with arrowy swift- 
ness through the jungle, but the track which it 
left was like that made by an army with axes. 
Dudley heard the moaning roar, resembling the 
distant ocean, as the tornado careered on its 
way, and the sound rapidly died out in the dis- 
tance. 

Conscious that this peculiar danger had gone 
by, the young American gave his attention to 
the new situation in which he had been tossed. 
He was so surrounded by branches and trees, 
that he appeared to be in a floating forest, which 
was still fretted and tossed as if with the mem- 
ory of the prodigious wrenching it had received. 

“I wonder whether Nughwa got any of this, ’ ’ 
was his thought; “if he did, I don’t believe he 
ever had a worse shaking up; perhaps these 
hurly-burlys are regular things in this part of 
the world, but father never wrote anything 
about them, and I shall hope they are not com- 


28 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

mon. I guess the best thing for me to do is to 
go ashore. ” 

Groping with his hand, he was vastly relieved 
to find his rifle had not been injured by its rough 
usage, but the barrel was so filled with water 
that the weapon would be useless until the 
charge was withdrawn and a new one rammed 
home. 

The task of making his way to land, how- 
ever, proved harder than he had supposed. 
The current was so obstructed by the mass of 
trees and limbs that it was about impossible to 
force his way through it. Using a trunk as a 
raft, he paddled with one hand, but at the end 
of fifteen minutes, could not see that he had 
made any progress whatever. The stream was 
a hundred yards wide, and, somehow or other, 
he had been forced into the middle of it, so 
there was little or no choice between the two 
shores. 

“I don’t see any chance of getting ahead,” 
he mused, resting from his labor, “and I’ll try 
whether I can do better in the other direction. ’ ’ 

He faced about and, with one arm over the 
tree, swung the other hand as a paddle, not for- 
getting to call his legs into play. He kept this 
up until tired, and then scrutinized the land in 
front and rear. 


A TROPICAL ZEPHYR 


29 


“I believe I have gained about an inch ; at this 
rate I shall make shore in the course of two or 
three months. Where the mischief can Nughwa 
be?” 

In the hope that his guide was within hail, 
Dudley shouted his name several times, but 
without bringing any response. 

“I hope no harm has come to him, though a 
falling limb will kill a Siamese as quickly as an 
American, if it hits him right. Helloa ! 9 ’ 

The picture upon which the eyes of Dudley 
Mays on rested at that moment was a startling 
one. Not fifty feet away the head of a wild 
boar suddenly bulged up from the water among 
the floating trees, his fore feet resting on a 
large trunk, while he looked across at the young 
man who was drifting down stream in his com- 
pany. The animal was of enormous size. 
With the ears pricked up, his jaws partly open, 
as if he were panting, and his huge snout pro- 
jecting over the support, with the immense 
tusks curving upward, he was a formidable ani- 
mal that would give the path to no denizen of 
l the jungle. The wild boar fears no creature 
that lives. 


CHAPTER III 


A HURRIED FLIGHT OVER A ROOF 

D UDLEY MAYSON had little knowledge 
of the wild hoar. Had he been better 
informed, he would have felt more alarm 
at sight of one of the ferocious quadrupeds so 
near him, for, as I have said, the boar will not 
turn aside through fear of anything. The 
royal Bengal tiger has been known to circle 
round him. 

The genus sus is not noted for its intelligence, 
and it is quite likely that when this specimen 
caught sight of an American youth, his emo- 
tion was that of curiosity mingled pqrhaps with 
a certain fear. He surely had seen nothing of 
the kind before, and he did not know what to 
make of the intruder into his country. It is 
the uncertainty regarding the nature of a dan- 
ger that often throws the most intrepid beast 
into a panic. In the present instance, the boar, 
after staring at the boy for several minutes, 
suddenly uttered a grunt and slid back into the 

30 


A HURRIED FLIGHT OVER A ROOF 31 

water. He proved his immense strength by 
plowing through and among the debris, without 
hindrance, never pausing until his feet touched 
bottom, and he walked out on the land. There 
he halted, and once more turned and fixed his 
gaze upon that mysterious object out in the cur- 
rent. 

By this time, Dudley understood the mystifi- 
cation of the creature, whose size as he stood 
like a statue staring, at him, he admired. The 
youth suddenly raised himself so that his head 
and shoulders were lifted a foot higher than 
ordinary. Then he emitted the most horrible 
howl which, he could formulate. 

That cry marked the finish. The hoar gave 
a single, whiffling grunt, seemed to whirl square- 
ly about with a single leap from the ground, 
and flirting his short tail, twisted into a funny 
loop, he dived into the jungle and vanished. 
Doubtless he kept up his flight long after he 
had passed from sight. 

‘ 6 1 wish all the wild beasts in this part of the 
world would be as scared as you at sight of me ; 
it would save me a lot of ammunition. ’ ’ 

Once more Dudley called the name of his 
guide, repeating it several times, but with no 
more result than before. 

“It looks to me as if I’ve got to run this 


32 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


business myself,” was the conclusion of our 
young friend, who had become tired of the 
water ; ‘ ‘ there ought to be some way of getting 
out of this stream; if that boar had been good 
enough to swim within reach of me, I might 
have caught hold of his tail and let him tow 
me to land, but I don’t see any signs of any- 
thing like that to help me. ’ ’ 

It may be set down as fortunate that the 
young man was not given the opportunity he 
had in mind, for the wild boar is an unsafe 
animal to trifle with. But when Dudley was 
beginning to feel a degree of worriment as to 
how he was to leave the stream and make solid 
earth, the answer suddenly presented itself. 

A little below, the current made a sweeping 
bend, and a log projected far enough from 
shore to offer a chance of his leaping to it 
from the tree which was serving him as a raft. 

“It’s a pretty good jump,” reflected Dudley, 
measuring the distance with his eye, 4 ‘but I can 
do it with a running start, and I think I can get 
that.” 

He drew himself carefully up, so as to fling 
one leg over the trunk, the base of which 
pointed toward land. The action of the tornado 
had washed most of the soil from the prong- 
like roots, and there were not enough branches 


A HURRIED FLIGHT OVER A ROOF 33 

in the way to prevent a dash of eight or ten feet 
from where he bestrode the tree to its extrem- 
ity. Provided he did not slip, he would gain 
the start that is always so helpful to a leaper, 
and he made ready for the brief spurt. 

Fortunately the tree was large enough to 
bear his weight without sinking to an incon- 
venient depth. Carefully balancing himself, he 
awaited the right moment, and, walking cau- 
tiously for a couple of steps, he struck a lope, 
so arranging his progress, that he placed one 
foot on the end of the trunk and then, gathering 
his muscles, jumped straight for the motion- 
less log. 

And the instant Dudley did this, he would 
have given anything in the world had he re- 
frained, for in the act. of leaving the tree and 
launching out into the air, he perceived that it 
was not a log upon which he was about to land 
but a sleeping crocodile ! 

The saurian was of immense size, being more 
then twenty feet in length. The dark, ridged 
back exposed to the sun, and the rear, partly 
imbedded in the soft mud, were so like a log that 
the mistake was natural on the part of the 
youth. Added to which, it must be remem- 
bered that as it lay thus, it did not give the 
faintest sign of life. 

3 


34 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


Dudley Mayson was a fleet runner, but it may 
be doubted whether he ever made better time 
than directly after his feet landed on the croco- 
dile, which had no notice of his coming, being in 
a doze with both of its piggish eyes closed. 
With all the speed of which the terrified boy was 
capable, he dashed over the corrugated back, 
but had not gone the whole distance, when he 
felt it move beneath him. In a twinkling, Dud- 
ley shot forward, as if from a springboard, and 
passing half the length of the huge reptile, he 
leaped to shore and plunged headlong into the 
jungle. A glance backward showed the mon- 
ster twisting about in the current, as if search- 
ing for a titbit for his dinner, but the fugitive 
waited to see no more, and did not stop running 
until he had gone a hundred yards. 

“My gracious !” he gasped; “that was. the 
most awful thing that ever happened to me ; I 
don’t understand why he didn’t open his mouth 
and take me in; I’ll never forget, as long as I 
live, how I felt the second after making the 
leap, and I knew I was going to land on the head 
of the biggest crocodile I ever heard of.” 

The truth was that at this sultry hour, the 
sluggish reptile was sunning himself, as his 
species are fond of doing. He was so far re- 
moved from the path of the tornado that he 


A HURRIED FLIGHT OVER A ROOF 35 

had not been disturbed by it, and was probably 
fast asleep. Had he been awake, it is quite 
probable that, as the boy left the floating tree, 
the vast jaws would have parted, and, instead 
of alighting on the back of the crocodile, he 
would have dropped into his cavernous mouth, 
and the adventures of our young friend would 
have ended then and there. 

But it was Dudley’s activity that saved him. 
By the time the crocodile was fairly awake and 
looking around to learn who was running over 
his roof, the lad was beyond reach. Even then 
had the reptile caught a glimpse of the flying 
heels, he probably would have secured the fugi- 
tive, for the crocodile is a tremendous traveler 
for a short, distance from the water. But the 
youth had eluded him and his escape was cer- 
tainly remarkable. 

Do you know the difference between an alli- 
gator and crocodile ? Let me tell you. 

The alligator as compared with the true 
crocodile has a shorter and flatter head; it has 
cavities or pits in the upper jaw, into which the 
long four teeth of the under jaw are received. 
The crocodile has mere notches between the 
teeth. The formation described makes the head 
of the alligator broader and the snout, more 
obtuse than that of the crocodiles. 


36 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


The alligator is not so aquatic as its brother. 
It frequents swamps and marshes and often 
basks on the dry ground during the day, in the 
heat of the sun. They are the most active at 
night and often bellow loudly. They have 
great power in their tails, and a large alliga- 
tor can easily overturn a canoe. They live 
mainly on fisli, but devour other kinds of flesh. 
The females lay their eggs sometimes number- 
ing four-score or more, in the mud, leaving the 
sun to hatch them. The mother shows much 
affection for her young, and watches closely 
over them, despite which they are often eaten 
by vultures, fishes and the cannibalistic old 
males. 

The fiercest alligators are found in the south- 
ern parts of our country, as far up the Missis- 
sippi as the Red River. The mailed hides are 
such a protection that a rifle bullet will glance 
off as if from a sloping rock. A shot in or 
directly over one of the eyes, or behind a fore- 
leg, where the skin is comparatively thin, is 
fatal. 

The alligators in South America are known 
as Caymans, which is probably an Indian name. 
In that country, they have the spectacled cay- 
man , so called on account of a prominent bony 
rim surrounding the orbit of each eye. Alii- 


A HURRIED FLIGHT OVER A ROOF 37 

gators are not found in any part of the world 
except America, which has also a few croc- 
odiles. 

Now as to the crocodile. His body is pro- 
tected by square bony plates, instead of scales 
as with other saurians, the skull is more solid, 
the lungs not descending into the abdomen, 
while he is like the mammalia and birds in 
the structure of his heart. He is lizard-like 
in form, tremendously voracious, and has a 
tail flattened at the sides so as to give him 
powerful propulsion through the water. The 
fore feet have five toes, and the hind feet four, 
only the three inner ones being armed with 
claws, with the feet more or less webbed. If you 
are ever pursued by a crocodile, your best 
chance of escaping is by a series of quick turns, 
it being difficult for the animal to> follow a 
sinuous course. They frequent fresh waters 
and estuaries in the warm parts of the world, 
but neither Europe nor Australia, so far as 
known, contain any, some being found., as stated, 
in our own country. 

Returning to Dudley Mayson, after the scare 
he had received, he waited until sure he was 
not pursued by his fearful enemy, when he care- 
fully drew the charge of his rifle and reloaded 
it from the flask of powder that had not been 


38 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


touched by water during the general overturn- 
ing caused by the tornado. 

“Now I am ready for business/ ’ he said 
with some satisfaction, “though I should feel a 
good deal more comfortable if Nughwa were 
with me. He can’t he very far off, and it seems 
to me that I ought to find my way to camp. It 
was curious that we should have located it right 
in the path of the cyclone. I suppose father 
would call that zephyr a tornado or hurricane, 
but it deserves the name of the terrors of our 
own Kansas and the West. 

“I think it tumbled me along at the rate of 
two or three miles a minute. I remember turn- 
ing a dozen somersaults, and if I had struck a 
tree I should have gone right through it, unless 
it got the start, and went through me first. I 
suppose the people in this part of the world 
get used to such flurries and don’t mind them 
more than we mind thunder storms at home, 
hut I hope I shall never be caught again by one 
of them.” 

Dudley Mason decided that the most feasible 
plan to find his companion was to retrace his 
steps until within sight of the stream, which 
needed to be followed only a short distance to 
cross the track of the tempest. By such a 
course, he would avoid the common error of per- 


A HURRIED FLIGHT OVER A ROOF 39 

sons placed in his situation and not journey in a 
circle. 

He had not been long enough in the company 
of Nughwa for the two to frame a code of sig- 
nals. He had called his name several times, 
while afloat in the water, but without any re- 
sponse. He would have repeated the call, but 
for the fear that it would draw the attention 
of less desirable denizens of the jungle. There 
were too many such for him to run a risk that 
could be avoided. Doubtless, if no harm had 
befallen the native, he was making a hunt for 
the youth. He was the one therefore to sum- 
mon Dudley, instead of the latter calling to him. 
That Nughwa did not do so must have been be- 
cause he did not think it safe. 

But what of the crocodile? 

The youth had seen one of those frightful 
reptiles — which, in his estimation, was one too 
many — and nothing more likely than that others 
were basking near. If they should catch sight 
of a plump American boy sauntering along the 
stream, nothing was more probable than a 
desperate scramble as to which should make a 
dinner upon him, with the end that he would be 
divided among the whole lot, 

Dudley believed he could elude the danger 
by keeping a goodly interval between him and 


40 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


the river, drawing only nigh enough to make 
sure of the course of the stream, and on the 
alert to escape running into any trap. This 
was the theory upon which he acted, hopeful of 
the best results. 

What most impressed him at this juncture 
was the striking contrast between the soft calm 
of the jungle and the terrific turmoil that had 
prevailed a short time before. The same lux- 
urious, dreamy languor seemed to enfold nature 
that had charmed the senses of the lad upon his 
first entrance into the tropics. Scarcely a 
breath of air rustled the tree-tops, and the aL 
mosphere, cooled by the electric interchange, 
was as delicious as a fainting invalid could 
crave. Gazing around, the lad was unable to 
see any evidence of the late stupendous strife. 
The only sign that caught his eye was a leaf, 
here and there, eddying far aloft, as if it had 
not yet recovered from its bewilderment and 
was timid about venturing upon the earth again. 
The sky itself wore a deeper blue. 

“Perhaps I am mistaken, and it looks that 
way because I felt so blue when turning flip- 
flaps so fast,” he said, “but I thank the Lord 
for the way he brought me through it all. ’ ’ 


CHAPTER IV 

A DISPUTE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS 

B Y THIS time Dudley Mayson was in sight 
of the stream which he meant should 
serve him as a guide, and paused and 
listened. 

Hardly a sound broke the stillness of the 
jungle, and it seemed to him that there must 
he little danger, so long as he kept his senses 
with him. 

“I suppose that crocodile has resumed his 
nap, but he must have been mad to think a fel- 
low like me landed on his roof and ran to the 
eaves, without his taking me in. Suppose he 
had opened one eye, as I leaped,” reflected the 
youth with a shudder. ‘ ‘ He would have swung 
those jaws apart like a couple of barn doors, 
and I would have gone down as Jonah went 
down the throat of the whale. I should dearly 
love to send a bullet into one of his eyes or into 
his body back of the fore leg.” 

The temptation to carry out this scheme was 

41 


42 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


so strong, that Dudley did not abandon it until 
after some minutes’ reflection. It was hardly 
on account of any fear of what might be the 
consequences to himself, but rather because of 
the waste of time involved. The most impor- 
tant business in hand was to effect a meeting 
with Nughwa. Should this prove impossible, 
the only course left to the lad was to journey 
alone the rest of the way home. Such a pros- 
pect might well cause misgiving if not dismay. 
Thus far, his guide had taken advantage of 
the comparatively well marked trails, hut there 
was no saying how far these extended. Likely 
their course soon changed and it would be 
necessary to seek new ones. What success 
could he hope for in the intricate jungle, every 
part of which was unfamiliar to him ? 

“I wonder that, Nughwa did not instruct me 
in some signal that if heard by any prowling 
beasts would not be understood. When we 
meet — if ever we do meet — that must be the 
first thing done. I wish he would call to me, 
but, since he doesn’t do it, it is too risky for me 
to try it. I feel sure he is not very far off. ’ ’ 

It was at this juncture that the estray lad 
recalled a remark, made by Nughwa when on 
the steamer, to the effect that that hunter is a 
fool who. only looks in front of him. 


A DISPUTE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS 43 

It was Dudley’s ear, rather than his eye, that 
warned him of danger. He heard a soft rus- 
tling and was sure some wild animal was near, 
even though his searching glances failed to re- 
veal its nature. The surrounding jungle was 
dense and the sound that alarmed the youth 
was so close as to suggest it was made by the 
stealthy approach of a beast that might leap 
from the undergrowth at any moment. 

Dudley had waited only a minute or two, 
when he caught a flitting glimpse of the glossy 
hide of a tiger, moving through the jungle to- 
ward the stream. It was only the passing sight 
that the eye takes of an object as it glides among 
the separating and closing hushes, hut it was 
enough for the young American, who under- 
stood what it meant. 

Of all inhabitants of the jungle, the tiger is 
probably the most to be dreaded. His activity 
and strength are astounding, scientific tests have 
proved that he is one-fifth stronger than the 
lion. The “man eater” of India is absolutely 
without fear. He has been known to hold a 
whole village in a state of panic for weeks, 
descending upon it and carrying off one of the 
inhabitants, whenever hunger or the whim 
prompted him. He will pursue a man into his 
bamboo house, and tear the structure to shreds 


44 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


to get at him. The tiger of Burmah and Siam 
may not be so terrible as his brother of Bengal, 
but he is none the less a fearful foe. A singular 
fact regarding the tiger may have escaped your 
notice : he is found in no continent except Asia. 

The sight of the royal game sent a thrill 
through Dudley Mayson, despite the confidence 
he felt in his weapon. 

‘ 4 Wherever that fellow is going is where it 
isn’t best for me to go,” thought the youth, 
crouching low. The action of the beast told him 
that as yet the tiger had not discovered him, 
and Dudley did not mean he should do so, if he 
could prevent such discovery. No doubt he 
was on his way to the stream to drink and 
wasn’t thinking of hoys. After slaking his 
thirst, he would withdraw and leave the path 
open for Dudley to continue his journey. The 
prudent thing therefore, for the young Ameri- 
can to do was to keep out. of sight until the 
animal had left the neighborhood. 

When the velvety footfalls were heard no 
more, Dudley Mayson concluded that the best 
thing for him to do was to climb a tree. He 
slung his rifle over his shoulder and made his 
way among the dense branches until fifteen or 
twenty feet above the ground, where he perched 
and awaited events. 


A DISPUTE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS 45 

“I have read and heard enough about tigers 
to know that one of them could leap up here to 
me as easily as a cat can spring upon a table ; 
if this one scents me, he’ll be likely to try it; 
but I shall keep an eye on him, and, when about 
to make his jump, I shouldn’t wonder if he 
heard something from me.” 

This self-confidence tended to soothe the 
nerves of the young hunter, who would have 
been as well pleased, however, had this specimen 
chosen to leave the stream by another route. 
You remember what the Frenchman said to the 
effect that it is very fine sport to hunt the tiger, 
but the sport is not so fine when the tiger hunts 
you. 

The beast in which we are just now inter- 
ested, moved with his stealthy, swinging tread 
toward the water, and, as fortune would have 
it, was almost upon the crocodile before he 
noticed him. The bank was a slight declivity, 
no more than a couple of feet in height, and it 
was easy to see that the stream, like the great 
Meinam river, became a Nile at certain seasons 
of the year, and, overflowing its shallow banks, 
deposited a film of mud which enriched thou- 
sands of acres of the surrounding country. 
Carefully parting the branches before his face, 
Dudley Mayson saw the tiger pass down this 


46 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

bank, when for a few minutes he was lost to 
view. 

The brute glanced at the immense saurian 
and then seemed to decide to give him no at- 
tention until after slaking his thirst. He 
turned slightly to one side and began lapping 
the water like a cat, but all the time was watch- 
ing his neighbor out of the corner of his eye. 
It may have been the latter was in a sullen tem- 
per because of the American boy that had so 
cleverly robbed him of dinner, for the tiger had 
swallowed only a few mouthfuls, when the rep- 
tile charged directly at him. 

The sight of those formidable rows of ser- 
rated teeth would have terrified any creature, 
and, though the tiger may not have been 
alarmed, he seemed to decide to finish his 
draught at some other point and time. He 
slowly recoiled, as if too proud to turn and 
run, and the crocodile drew near him. Sud- 
denly he shifted sideways, and made a furious 
sweep of his tail. Had it reached the tiger, it 
must have smashed his ribs, but with the agility 
for which his species is famous, he leaped light- 
ly out of the way. 

This preliminary skirmish brought the com- 
batants to the top of the bank, where Dudley 


A DISPUTE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS 47 

Mayson watched every phase of the remarkable 
combat. 

Hardly had the tail completed its half circuit, 
when the quadruped bounded forward and 
struck several lightning-like blows with his 
claws. He knew the vulnerable portions of his 
enemy’s anatomy, which were underneath, and 
managed with astonishing skill to assail the 
skin where it could not resist the assault. 

The brute did not need to be told that his 
foe had no purpose of remaining quiescent, 
while undergoing this vicious attack, which 
could not be completed at one effort, but might 
have to be repeated several times. It may 
have been that the tiger was over eager, or the 
pain of his wounds made the crocodile quicker 
in action. Be that as it may, he whirled his 
tail around with such celerity that it struck the 
side of the beast with a noise like the thump on 
the head of a bass drum. It looked as if the 
blow was fatal, for the tiger rolled rapidly over 
several times, snarling, growling and clawing 
the air, seemingly in the throes of death. But 
he was game to the core, and, before his enemy 
could repeat the terrific blow, he bounded to his 
feet, and, instead of running off, defiantly 
faced his adversary. 

The latter struck again precisely as before, 


48 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


and then the tiger got in his fine work. Finally 
the saurian rolled helplessly down the bank, 
like the log Dudley Mayson had mistaken him 
for and drifted away, the victim of his own mis- 
calculation and rashness. 

The tiger stood for some minutes watching 
the carcase floating away and then, satisfied that 
nothing more was to be feared from it, resumed 
his lapping of the water, wheeled about and 
walked leisurely into the jungle. 

“You made such a good fight,” said Dudley 
admiringly, ‘ ‘ that I ’ll let you go. ’ ’ 

And yet one is tempted to wonder whether 
after all, it was not the tiger that let the boy 
go. 


CHAPTER V 

A STRANGE MEETING 

T HE fight between the tiger and crocodile 
was brief. Few animals come out the 
better from a contest with the gigantic 
saurian. Sometimes both are slain, and not in- 
frequently the crocodile is the victor. 

Dudley Mayson remained perched in the tree 
until the tiger had been given plenty of time to 
pass beyond hearing, when he descended to re- 
sume his hunt for Nughwa, who seemed to be- 
come the more indispensable as the difficulty of 
finding him increased. The afternoon was 
wearing away, and the lad began to feel 
alarmed. His situation would become serious, 
if obliged to attempt the journey home without 
the aid of the intelligent native, who had been 
specially sent by the missionary to take charge 
of his son. 

“Now,” thought the latter, “I know father 
wouldn’t have done this, if he believed any 
greater danger than usual was to come to me, 

4 49 


50 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

though I don’t see how our long tramp through 
the woods could be saved. There are no rail- 
ways or high roads in the jungle, and. the paths 
are not good enough for us to use the elephant, 
which I did hope father would send. It seems 
that something is out of order with my body, — 
ah ! I have it ! We stopped for rest while Nugh- 
wa went off to get food for both of us; I’m 
hungry ! ’ ’ 

I have spoken of the mangosteen, which is 
plentiful in Farther India, and is one of the 
most delicious fruits in all the world. The 
tree grows to the height of a dozen or more feet, 
and the foliage is dark and as glossy as satin. 
Plucked from its beautiful setting and cut 
through the shaded green and purple of the 
rind, the upper half being lifted as if it were 
the cover of a dish, the pulp of half-trans- 
parent whiteness stands in segments, like an 
orange, but rimmed with darkest crimson where 
the rind is cut,. It looks too beautiful to eat, 
but the rarest, sweetest essence of the tropics 
seems to dwell in it, as it melts on one’s de- 
lighted palate. 

This was the peerless fruit that nearly always 
was at the command of Dudley Mayson, while 
picking his course through the Siamese jungle. 
When he buried his teeth in its luscious richness, 


A STRANGE MEETING 


51 


he felt as if he could never crave any other kind 
of food. 

“If a fellow could raise a crop of them in 
England or the United States, he would make 
his fortune, for people would spend almost their 
last penny to get them; I’m sure I should.” 

You have perceived that when Nughwa and 
Dudley camped in the jungle, it was different 
from a halt in an American forest. In our own 
country, game is sometimes so scarce that it 
takes a long time to find it, and you know of 
instances where suffering and even starvation 
have followed the failure to obtain food. As 
I have said, few persons feel any desire for 
animal sustenance in hot countries, where the 
blood needs cooling rather than heating. It is 
the other way with the carnivorous creatures. 

“There was no need of Nughwa leaving me 
at all,” said Dudley Mayson to himself, “but I 
suppose it was because he wanted to get the 
choicest fruit that grows. Though I have not 
seen a great deal of him, I have been struck by 
his unselfish disposition ; more than once he has 
forced the best upon me, without seeming to do 
so. 

“I wonder what he will think when he comes 
back to camp and looks upon those uprooted 
trees and the general wreck and ruin. He will 


52 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


fear I am buried under them and will be wor- 
ried almost to death. I’d yell to him, if I 
wasn’t afraid it would bring wild beasts to the 
spot. That must be the reason he keeps so 
mum himself, unless,” added Dudley with a 
shudder, “he has been killed.” 

While from the beginning it would be said 
that the chances were greatly in favor of the 
native as against the young American, yet it 
often happens in the affairs of this world that 
events go the other way, for no precaution can 
make one immune from accident. 

Following out the plan he had formed, Dud- 
ley soon arrived at the point where the tornado 
had careered across the water. The action of 
the current had cleared itself of most of the 
wreck and debris long before, and it was flow- 
ing as quietly as if never disturbed by so stu- 
pendous an outburst of nature. 

Taking his bearings as well as he could, the 
youth was convinced that if he moved to the 
left, he would soon reach the spot, where they 
halted for the noon rest, when Nughwa left 
him, intending to be gone but a short time. 

“If nothing has befallen him, he and I ought 
to be quite near each other by that time — 
helloa ! there he is now ! ’ ’ 

The lad uttered this exclamation as he de- 


A STRANGE MEETING 53 

scried a man making his way over the fallen 
trees and among the scattered limbs. His at- 
tire was of the scanty order peculiar to the 
Siamese. His head was not only without any 
covering, but was shaved like a Buddhist 
priest’s, being as clean and glistening as a bil- 
liard ball. He was bare-legged and bare-footed, 
and wore a broad sash around his hips, descend- 
ing to his knees. He was of brownish color, 
stocky and well formed, and of surprising 
agility. He sprang forward as nimbly as a 
chamois, with his head bent, showing he was 
looking downward, as if searching for some- 
thing or some one. The first glance of Dudley 
told him he had never seen the stranger be- 
fore. 

Nughwa the guide had been under the tute- 
lage of the missionary Mayson long enough to 
acquire civilized tastes in the way of dress. He 
had learned to protect his feet with strong 
sandals — a sort of compromise between the or- 
dinary shoe and nothing — but his clothing as a 
whole was so scanty that, it was hardly worth 
mentioning. 

The moment Dudley Mayson saw that the 
man was unknown to him, he asked himself 
whether it were prudent for them to meet. 
While the labors of the missionaries in Siam 


54 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


had as yet brought only meagre fruit, there was 
no special enmity or ill-will between the natives 
and foreigners. The former are not such 
fanatical slaves to conservatism as the Chinese, 
and it is scarcely possible, therefore, that any 
such outbreak as the late Boxer uprising can 
ever occur in Farther India. 

But in such meetings as the one that im- 
pended, time and place must be remembered. 
Man and hoy were well removed from the 
friends of either. They were virtually alone 
in the vast jungle, where an American might 
well feel some misgiving over meeting one of 
his own countrymen of whom he knew little or 
nothing. 

4 ‘He hasn’t any gun, ,, thought Dudley, “and 
I should be ashamed to own that I was afraid 
of him, but he may belong to a gang of crim- 
inals, and it will he wise for me to have noth- 
ing to do with him until we are properly intro- 
duced. ’ ’ 

All this time, the stranger was drawing near, 
but quite slowly, since he carefully scrutinized 
every foot of ground in front of him ; but he was 
likely to raise his head at any moment and see 
the youth. Dudley had only to stoop down 
where he had halted. He did so, and crept a few 
feet to a fallen tree inclosed in so much dense 


A STRANGE MEETING 


55 


vegetation, that a searcher would have had to 
step almost upon him or draw apart the foliage 
in order to find his hiding place. 

A shadowy misgiving lingered with the youth. 

“It may be he caught sight of me before I 
did of him and dropped his eyes so as to throw 
me off my guard. At any rate, he is coming 
this way and must pass very close.’ ’ 

Listening intently in the stillness, the youth 
was soon able to locate the stranger by the 
faint sounds that crossed the brief space. He 
heard the bare feet strike the ground as he came 
down from one of the prostrate trees, and then 
the gentle abrasion of the bark, when he stepped 
upon another obstruction in his path. 

The fact that several minutes passed, during 
which nothing was heard,, convinced Dudley that 
the native had paused from some cause or other. 
Yielding to that curiosity which might have 
been fatal in some circumstances, the young 
American noiselessly thrust his head through 
the bushes, and, removing his hat, raised his 
head high enough to peer over the prostrate 
trunk. 

The native was standing motionless less than 
fifty feet distant. While his body was facing 
Dudley, his head was turned to the left, as if 
he had discovered something in that direction 


56 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


which claimed his attention. The youth paused 
long enough to glance toward the same point of 
the compass, but could see nothing unusual, and 
quickly shrunk into his hiding place again. 

The fact that the stranger had been facing 
toward him a moment before and was certain to 
do so again, satisfied Dudley that he would pass 
perilously near his concealment. The remote 
prospect of detection brought chagrin to the 
youth, who would have felt exceedingly foolish 
had the stranger parted the bushes and peeped 
in at him. 

“How shall I explain my sneaking behind a 
tree like that? Of course neither of us can un- 
derstand what the other says, but it will be 
my actions that will speak. However, I’ll take 
the chances.” 

He made sure of one thing, — his rifle was 
ready for instant call. No native of the country 
should find him unprepared for a meeting. 

Sh! the fellow was moving again. The im- 
pact of his feet on the earth gave out the faint- 
est possible noise, hut was sufficient for the keen 
ear to note. The man was walking over the 
trunk of the tree under which the youth was 
nestling. More than that, he halted almost 
directly over him. 

It was this that led Dudley to believe the 


A STRANGE MEETING 


57 


native had seen him first, and was having a lit- 
tle of his own peculiar fun, somewhat as a cat 
plays with a mouse. The belief added to the 
resentment of the youth in hiding, and he com- 
pressed his lips with characteristic resolution. 

“If he tries to fool with me, he will learn that 
it is dangerous to trifle with a native born 
American. Even if I haven’t the Stars and 
Stripes to wave over my hiding place, I’ve got 
a gun and am not afraid to use it.” 

It isn’t probable that the native stood thus 
for more than two or three minutes, and yet it 
seemed three times as long to Dudley Mayson 
who feared he would be betrayed by the beating 
of his heart. Then the bare feet moved along 
the bark to the base, and the man stepped down 
to the ground. One or two steps seemed to be 
audible, but the lad could not feel assured on 
that point, and waited for quite an interval be- 
fore making any further move. 

Dudley was mystified. From what had oc- 
curred, he was almost certain the native knew 
where he was crouching. What had been his 
purpose in coming so near to the foreigner and 
then going away without word or action? 

“If he saw me, he saw my gun; he has no 
weapon, not even a knife, so far as I can tell, 
though it may be hidden about him; he must 


58 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


have known I could shoot him down whenever 
the whim took me ; he ran no little risk himself, 
though I don’t know whether he was trusting 
my sense of right or trying to play upon my 
fears.” 

Waiting until the native had been given 
plenty of time in which to make off, Dudley once 
more pushed the bushes from the front of his 
face, and cautiously thrust his head and shoul- 
ders through. He could hear ^nothing, and, 
after a slight pause, bareheaded as before, he 
slowly straightened up until above the prostrate 
tree, when he scanned everything in his field of 
vision. 

“I don’t see anything of him; it must be 
after all, he has gone and left me to myself — 
no ! I’m blessed if he has !” 

Twenty feet away and a little behind the 
youth, the stranger was standing and looking 
fixedly at him. He must have stepped from 
beyond the trunk of a tree on the edge of the 
swath cut by the tornado, for Dudley had 
glanced over that section a moment before with- 
out seeing him. 

That which had drawn the attention of the 
youth in that direction was a peculiar grunt, 
like an exclamation, that seemed to be the ut- 
terance of the word “Hooah!” whose meaning 


A STRANGE MEETING 


59 


of course was unknown to the youth. The latter 
involuntarily started, as if frightened by the 
sudden discovery that the other was almost at 
his elbow. He quickly pulled himself together, 
however, and returned the stare of the other. 
Why should Dudley feel afraid of a single man, 
without any firearms, when the lad himself 
held one in his grasp f 

But there was something uncanny in the 
situation. For the first time, our friend had 
a fair look at the countenance of the stranger. 
The face was oblong, the features even, and the 
general appearance not unprepossessing. The 
bare poll gave him a peculiar look, but it was the 
eyes that caught and held the attention of the 
lad. They were round, large, projecting and 
as black as midnight, with a glare that suggested 
a wild animal. He looked straight at the in- 
truder, as if he would pierce him through, and 
it took all of Dudley’s self-command to return 
the sharp scrutiny. 

The memory of the apparent timidity he had 
shown nerved the youth, whose only fear was 
that the stranger might utter a signal that 
would draw his friends to the spot. In that 
event, the situation would become embarrassing 
to say the least, but none the less the American 
was resolved to hold his ground. 


60 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


It did not take long for this mutual stare to 
become trying to the younger member, who be- 
gan to ask himself how long it was to last and 
in what manner it would terminate. He hit 
upon an expedient. 

“Who are you and what do you want!” 

When Dudley asked the question, he did not 
suppose that a word would be understood by 
the other, but to his amazement, the reply came 
in the form of another question : 

“Who you? What want?” 

“I’m your friend, if you act right: what do 
you want?” 

“Hooah! Christian, eh?” 

“Yes,” was the prompt response from one 
who would Have died before denying his faith. 

‘ 4 Me kill ! ’ 9 said the other, slipping his hand 
beneath the sash that inclosed the middle of his 
body, and drawing forth a frightful knife, with 
a handle fully a foot long. 

“I don’t think you will kill any Christians 
just yet, old chap,” replied Dudley, drawing 
back the hammer of his rifle, and partly raising 
the weapon. 

The native took a couple of steps forward 
and then stopped. It did not require his par- 
tial knowledge of the English tongue to read the 
meaning of the action of the sturdy youth, who 


A STRANGE MEETING 


61 


emphasized his warning by also stepping for- 
ward, as if to meet the other. 

The couple were not brought so near that a 
single bound, such as the native no doubt could 
make, would enable him to use his formidable 
weapon ; but Dudley Mayson did not mean to be 
caught off his guard. All he had to do was to 
bring his gun to a level, as he could do in a 
flash, and press the trigger. Indeed, it was not 
necessary to shift the position of the weapon 
at all. It could be fired from the hip, the in- 
terval being so short that it was impossible to 
miss. 

“If you want to attack a Christian — though 
he isn’t much of one — why do you wait? Come 
on and learn how quick that particular Chris- 
tian will let daylight through you ! ’ ’ said Dudley 
in a slow, even voice, and it is to be supposed 
that his words were understood by the man to 
whom they were addressed. 

The next remark of the native was still more 
astonishing: 

“Eh, Christian; missionary Christian!” 

“If you refer to my father, you are right, for 
there isn’t a truer Christian living than he, — 
Mr. George Mayson, whose home is not so many 
miles from here. What do you know about Mr. 
Mayson?” 


62 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


‘ ‘ Me hate him, — me kill him ! ’ ’ 

“Do you mean to say you have killed or hurt 
him or any member of his family ?” demanded 
Dudley in a flame of anger; “if you have 
harmed a hair of his head or of his wife or 
child, I ’ll give you two minutes to pray to your 
heathen gods, before I send you to keep them 
company. ’ ’• 

And Dudley Mayson would have done that 
very thing, had the native said he had dared to 
commit such a crime. Fortunately, he did not 
mean that. 

“No kill — not yet — bime by — then kill you — 
hooah ! ’ ’ 

“0, that’s it! That isn’t so bad; well, I’m 
waiting to have you begin with me; what’s the 
use of being so long about it?” 

Dudley now brought his rifle to his shoulder, 
resolved that his purpose should not be mis- 
taken. 

The answer of the native was a sudden 
as unexpected. With another “Hooah!” he 
whirled and dashed into the jungle at full speed, 
dodging from side to side, as if to disconcert the 
aim of him whom he expected to fire with every 
second of time. But Dudley Mayson had no 
such intention and let him depart in peace. 


CHAPTER VI 


THE WHITE ELEPHANT 

B Y THIS time Dudley Mayson had become 
so disturbed over his failure to meet 
Nughwa, that he decided to signal to 
him. Placing his thumb and forefinger against 
the end of his tongue, and shoving them be- 
tween his lips, he emitted a blast that would 
have done credit to a locomotive. He repeated 
it several times, feeling that, inasmuch as he 
had undertaken to call to his guide, he might as 
well be thorough with it. 

i ‘ He will know that no wild animal did that , ’ ’ 
was his thought; “at any rate, I don’t know of 
any that is capable of doing it. I used to call 
the hoys that way in my own country, when we 
were a mile apart.” 

He listened, hut nothing in the nature of a 
response reached his ears. It seemed to he the 
hour when the denizens of the jungle were tak- 
ing their siesta and none of them cared to he 
disturbed. 


63 


64 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“This can’t be far from the spot; can it he 
anything has happened to Nughwa?” he asked, 
with a thrill of alarm; “it may be — st!” 

At a point no more than a hundred yards 
away and to the right, he heard a sound which 
he recognized as the trumpeting of elephants. 
He remembered that on a visit to the great 
traveling menagerie of the famous Barnum, he 
had noticed the same cry, so there could be no 
mistake on his part. 

‘ ‘ I suppose I might have expected something 
of that kind,” growled the youth; “I wonder 
whether they learned from my signal that a boy 
of about my size is groping through the wood; 
but I don’t think they have a very keen scent 
and the jungle is so dense that I ought to be 
able to keep out of their sight.” 

He waited several minutes, on the alert, but 
saw and heard nothing further. He began to 
hope the bulky creatures had taken the alarm 
and made oft. Curious to learn more of them, 
he moved stealthily through the forest, often 
pausing and parting the undergrowth in his 
front, and peering in every direction, with all 
his senses keyed to the highest point. Suddenly 
he was startled by a ponderous crashing, so 
close that he instinctively leaped behind the 
nearest tree. 


THE WHITE ELEPHANT 


65 


The disturbance ceased as abruptly as it had 
broken out, and once more he advanced inch by 
inch as may be said. He was soon rewarded by 
the most wonderful sight upon which he had 
ever looked. An immense elephant was lei- 
surely plucking the tender herbage from the 
bushes and trees about him, his head being 
raised and the end of his flexible trunk reaching 
so far aloft, that everything on the ground must 
have been invisible to him. Standing thus, his 
side was toward the lad, who thus gained the 
best view of him. His foraging operations had 
so crushed and cleared the vegetation immedi- 
ately around him, that nothing obscured the 
view, the beam-like legs being visible down to 
the knees. 

The sight of an elephant thus employed cer- 
tainly was not unusual in that part of the world, 
but the animal upon which the rapt Dudley was 
gazing was of a light creamy color in most of 
the parts of his body — one ear being noticeably 
light, the back rather dark and growing paler 
lower down, suggestive of the shading often 
shown by certain reptiles. 

In other words, Dudley Mayson was looking 
upon a white elephant , the animal which for 
hundreds of years has received the highest pos- 
sible honors in Burmah, Siam and all through 

5 


66 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


Farther India. The belief there, as you may 
know, is that such a creature is the incarnation 
of some future Buddali. All are, therefore, 
held in the most sacred regard and no honors 
are too great to be shown them. The court 
and country which come into the possession of 
such a great treasure are believed to be more 
fortunate through such ownership than from 
any and all other means. 

Dudley Mayson had read and heard of these 
creatures, and he stood for some time staring 
in open-mouthed astonishment at the huge 
brute, forgetting that he might be as dangerous 
as any of his species. 

‘ ‘ What a prize ! I saw pictures of the white 
elephant on the flags of the country at Bangkok, 
and Nughwa told me that whoever could bring 
one of them to the king would make his everlast- 
ing fortune ; it would take a good many boys of 
my size to drag off this fellow; I wish Nughwa 
were here.” 

He looked furtively around, hoping his friend 
would appear in answer to the signal, whose 
meaning, had the call reached his ears, he must 
have suspected; but the native did not come 
forward, and Dudley turned again to view the 
extraordinary monster before him. 

It struck the youth as remarkable that the 


THE WHITE ELEPHANT 


67 


white elephant was alone, it being the custom 
of those beasts to herd together. There are 
instances when they wander oft by themselves, 
notably when one survives his relations, as may 
be said, and finds all his friends have departed 
this life. When this occurs, no other family of 
elephants will allow the mourner to join them. 
If he attempts to do so, the lot set upon him, 
and he saves his life by taking the hint and 
making off. He thus becomes a social outcast, 
and a target for the tusks of his kind, wherever 
he appears. In India such an elephant is called 
Goondah or Sawn, and in Ceylon Hora, which 
means ‘ ‘ rogue,’ ’ the name being used because 
of his mischievous disposition. He will tram- 
ple and destroy the gardens and truck patches 
of the natives out of pure wantonness, and, if 
the owner shows a disposition to object, will 
attack him. He becomes such a nuisance at 
times that a whole neighborhood will unite to 
destroy him. 

The white elephant continued browsing as 
tranquilly as if he were an ordinary inhabitant 
of the jungle, instead of a prize, for whose pos- 
session barbarian kings have waged wars and 
slain thousands of their fellow beings, as they 
are likely to do for an indefinite period to come. 

“No use of your working for a living,’ ’ mused 


68 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


Dudley; “all you have to do is to promenade 
down to Bangkok, and you will become the real 
ruler of the country; I suppose the heathens 
may as well worship you as their wooden idols, 
for one is as sensible as the other.’ ’ 

Keeping himself screened, the youth con- 
tinued studying the immense animal, with a cu- 
riosity which perhaps may he imagined. 

“I don’t understand why they call you white, 
for there isn’t any part of you that is really of 
that color. You may not he as dark as those I 
have seen, but the nearest you come to white is 
pink, and even that hasn’t a healthy look.”* 

Dudley Mayson was peeping around the trunk 
of the tree when his hat accidentally fell from 
his head. You can understand how slight the 
noise was, and he stooped and picked it up with- 
out a thought of any consequences therefrom; 
hut, when he looked at the elephant again, he 
saw that while still groping among the treetops 

* “ It cost me several years’ negotiations, of the most delicate 
nature, and two hundred thousand dollars to secure my 
famous white elephant,” the late P. T. Barnum said to the 
writer. “ More than once my agents reported that it was 
impossible to get such a creature out of the country: the 
attempt would create a revolution. But they were shrewd 
fellows and they knew the value of money. A white elephant 
was driven through the back streets of Bangkok late at night, 
persuaded to step upon a waiting raft, taken down the river 
to a steamer and finally brought to the United States. 

“ When he arrived in New York, I went down the Bay 
on a tug to have a look at him. I don’t think I was ever 


THE WHITE ELEPHANT 


69 


with his facile trunk, he had suddenly ceased 
operations, and become as motionless as one of 
the carved figures of himself in the Nagkon Wat 
of Angkor. 

“Can it he he heard me?” the astonished lad 
asked himself; “something has disturbed him, 
and I don’t see what else it can be.” 

He drew back his head, and then perceived, 
for the first time, that the trunk of the tree be- 
hind which he had sheltered himself was hardly 
broad enough fully to hide his body. He noise- 
lessly turned sideways, still standing upright, 
and therefore unable to observe the enormous 
beast, 

Dudley was in that tense nervous state that he 
could have heard the soft rustling of the trunk 
among the foliage. The fact that he did not 
hear it was proof that the elephant was still 
listening. 

By and by, the gentle groping was resumed. 

more disgusted in my life. All the claim he had to the 
name of white elephant was a few pale blotches here and 
there on his body which were caused by some peculiar disease. 
He was a ‘ white elephant ’ indeed on my hands, but I had 
to make the best of it. 

“ In due time I was roused from my sleep, in the middle 
of the night at the Murray Hill Hotel, New York, with the 
usual announcement that a big fire at Bridgeport had de- 
stroyed many of my animals and a large amount of property. 
‘ Is the white elephant among those that were burned ? ’ I 
asked. I was told that he was. ‘ Thank goodness ! ’ I re- 
plied and resumed my broken slumber.” 


70 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


The animal’s misgivings had passed and he 
mnst. have believed he had no cause for alarm. 
Waiting a brief while, Dudley peeped around 
the trunk again. All would have gone well, 
but for one of those mishaps against which no 
person can guard. He was suddenly seized with 
a desire to sneeze, and, realizing the danger of 
doing so, he grasped his nostrils with one hand 
and strove desperately to smother the outbreak, 
but he was too late fully to succeed. Though 
partially strangled, the outburst came and he 
knew he had betrayed himself. 

If there had been any doubt on that point, it 
vanished the next second, when the brute trum- 
peted and charged directly toward the point 
from which the singular sound had come. No 
thought now of the sacred character of the 
white elephant. It was either his life or that 
of the American lad. 

Thrusting out his head, Dudley saw the brute 
charging down upon him like a runaway locomo- 
tive. The sight was so terrifying that he 
brought his rifle to his shoulder, and, not paus- 
ing to take aim, let fly. Even had he known 
the most vulnerable point of the elephant, the 
shot was too hurried to be effective. Dudley 
fired at the massive head, which was struck a 
glancing blow, the bullet skimming off among 


THE WHITE ELEPHANT 71 

tlie leaves, and inflicting no harm, but merely 
adding to the fury of the beast, who looked as 
if he would trample the intervening saplings 
and trees under his savage tread. 

Only one thing remained to be done and Dud- 
ley Mayson did it, — he turned and ran for life. 
No boy, however, ever succeeded in out-speed- 
ing an elephant, and, despite the exertions of the 
youth, who was unusually fleet of foot, the 
space between him and his pursuer rapidly les- 
sened. The dense, tangled undergrowth was 
more of a hindrance to the fugitive than to the 
elephant, and the lad with an indescribable 
shock, saw no possible escape from the animal. 

A glance over his shoulder showed the ele- 
phant so near that his trunk was raised aloft to 
seize the boy. A few seconds more and he 
would reach forward with that wonderful or- 
gan containing over fifty thousand muscles, 
wrap it around the body of the fugitive and 
dash him to the earth with a force that would 
drive out the breath of life. 

That single glance to the rear was fatal in one 
respect, for a tough vine suddenly entangled 
itself like steel wire about the ankles of the 
youth, who sprawled forward on his face, his 
gun flying from his hands. In his despair, he 
felt it was useless to spring to his feet, for the 


72 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

instant lie did so, his enemy would be upon him. 
So he lay still and prayed heaven for the help 
which he did not believe could reach him. 

With a shuddering thrill which cannot be 
imagined, Dudley Mayson felt the trunk of the 
elephant groping over his shoulders, as if seek- 
ing the best means of laying hold of him. In 
the terrifying moment, the poor lad was 
strangely sensible to trifles. He noted a pecul- 
iar step of the huge feet, a strange, half-trum- 
peting sound, and then a wild outcry, as if made, 
not by the elephant, but by some man or animal 
directly behind him. 

With hardly a second’s interval, the cry was 
repeated, and the second time was accompanied 
by a resounding slap, as if made by a person’s 
open hand on the flank of the animal. The blow 
was emphasized by a most insulting epithet, 
which the speaker believed was understood by 
the creature to Miom it was applied. 

Whether such was the fact or not would be 
too much to say, but the vigorous slap was prob- 
ably the cause of the brute turning in his anger, 
and reaching for the man who had thus insulted 
him. Before Dudley could quite comprehend 
the interruption, some one shouted: 

“Run before he comes back!” 

It was his old friend Nughwa, and his words 


THE WHITE ELEPHANT 


73 


were those of wisdom. The youth knew it, and, 
without pausing to question or learn more, he 
obeyed the command with all the speed he could 
muster, scratching his face and hands without 
knowing it as he tore through the undergrowth. 


CHAPTER VII 


THE ELEPHANT CATCHER 

I N PUS flurry, Dudley Mayson forgot his rifle 
that had been flung several yards distant, 
and, distressed for the safety of his friend, 
who had chivalrously assumed all the peril, in 
order to help the lad, he paused, after running 
a few paces, and fixed his eyes upon the man 
and brute. It was in the nick of time that 
Nughwa had succeeded in diverting the fury of 
the elephant to himself, for, as I have shown, 
the fractional part of a minute would have seen 
the termination of the young American’s ca- 
reer. 

When a few seconds passed without harm be- 
falling the native, the emotion of the youthful 
spectator became that of amazement at the agil- 
ity of Nughwa. Dudley recalled a certain play- 
mate in the States, whose skill in dodging pur- 
suers was a cause of admiration to the others, 
and eventually led to his engagement by a cir- 
cus company, but Dudley had never witnessed 

74 


THE ELEPHANT CATCHER 75 

anything like the performance which now took 
place under his eyes. 

Having smitten the flank of the beast, 
Nughwa coolly waited till he saw the bulky head 
swinging around, when he repeated one of his 
insulting expressions, and dashed off for sev- 
eral rods, his course taking him away from his 
young friend. As was to be expected, the ele- 
phant followed, a moment or two being neces- 
sary for him to get fully under way. Then the 
manoeuvres of the two suggested those of an 
ironclad trying to run down an Indian canoe. 
The guide was here, there and everywhere, the 
only spot from which he seemed to be absent 
being that where his massive enemy sought him. 

The result of these performances, as you 
will note, was to draw the elephant further from 
Dudley Mayson, who, forgetful of his recent 
peril, stood silent and staring at the remarkable 
scene. Admiring as he did the amazing nimble- 
ness of Nughwa, he was continually startled by 
the dread that he was so entangled that it was 
impossible for him to elude the brute, which, 
despite his enormous size, displayed an activity 
surpassing that of many quadrupeds of a third 
or fourth of his weight. 

An involuntary exclamation escaped the 
youth, when he saw the trunk of the white ele- 


76 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


phant extended directly over the turban of the 
native, who, at the critical moment, whisked to 
one side, and, still followed by the gigantic 
finger, made a sudden dive between the forelegs 
of the brute and out to one side, seizing the 
chance for another irritating slap and imperti- 
nent references to the character of the ancestors 
of the animal, which, if he really understood 
them, must have been unpardonable. 

The native could not help giving his whole 
attention to the elephant, and he therefore did 
not think of the American youth, who, it was to 
be presumed, knew enough to heed the advice 
given him, and had attended to his own safety. 

“Nughwa is a wonder and no mistake/ ’ said 
Dudley, 6 ‘ but he can ’t keep this up much longer ; 
his face is already shining with perspiration, 
and he must be nearly worn out. This is an- 
other case where, instead of hunting the tiger, 
he is hunting us ; I’ve got to help Nughwa.” 

But how should he do so? It was idle for 
Dudley to resort to insulting language, for it 
was not to be supposed the elephant understood 
English, nor would it answer for the youth to 
try to divert attention again to himself; that 
came near being his undoing a brief while be- 
fore, and it would have been suicide for the lad 


THE ELEPHANT CATCHER 77 

to repeat the performance. In truth he had no 
such thought. 

‘It is plain that Nughwa’s gun isn’t loaded; 
if it were, he would have fired into the body of 
the elephant before this, and he knows where 
to aim; I have plenty of time now to find, his 
heart, and I’ll do it. Well, if that doesn’t beat 
all creation ! ’ ’ 

For the first time since his close call, Dudley 
Mayson awoke to the fact that he had no gun 
with him. He was bewildered for the moment 
and then, looking around, saw the weapon lying 
several yards away. Even in the exciting junc- 
ture, he smiled at his strange forgetfulness, as 
he ran the brief distance and snatched up the 
rifle and began reloading it. 

This as you can understand was quite a task, 
since the weapon was a muzzle-loader, and he 
was so absorbed in the scene under his very 
eyes, that he often suspended his work in order 
to note the varying phases. He had rammed 
the bullet home, replaced the rod in the guard 
on the lower side of the barrel, and was in the 
act of slipping a cap on the tiny tube, when he 
was held motionless by what took place before 
him. 

Unable to give any attention to Dudley, the 
native has manoeuvred so that he and the ele- 


78 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


phant were brought quite close to where the 
boy was standing. Although Nughwa had been 
a professional elephant-catcher for a good many 
years, it did not take him long to realize that 
he was in one of the most critical situations of 
his life. The brute was not only one of the 
rarest kind found in the world, but was excep- 
tionally active, and soon pressed the native 
harder than he had ever been pressed before. 
The wrath of the brute was overpowering; he 
gave no further thought to the youth against 
whom his fury was first turned, and was bent 
on avenging himself upon the miscreant that 
had dared not only to inflict a personal indignity 
upon him, but had slurred his ancestors. 
Nughwa still grasped his rifle, and it would 
seem that, had he been able he would have shot 
his foe, for again and again, it looked as if that 
necessity had come. Since, too, he knew better 
than to miss a vital spot, Dudley Mayson was 
warranted, in thinking his weapon was empty. 

Such, however, was not the fact. Had the 
elephant been other than a white one, Nughwa 
would have slain him long before, but the frugal 
fellow had an eye to the future. He would not 
destroy such a treasure until it became an abso- 
lute choice between that and his own life. Al- 
though it looked more than once as if such a 


THE ELEPHANT CATCHER 79 

¥ 

crisis had arrived, the elephant-catcher was not 
quite convinced. 

Dudley Mayson was sure this crisis had come 
when he saw his friend overtaken by the same 
mishap that had flung the American himself to 
the ground. The native was dodging and leap- 
ing here and there, when he, too, was entangled 
in the running vines that were everywhere and 
fell on his side. 

The youth hastily slipped a cap on the tube, 
drew the hammer back to a full cock, and, sink- 
ing to one knee, aimed at the elephant. He was 
standing diagonally toward him at that moment 
and Dudley sighted at the cavity which is pre- 
sented just back of the fore leg in all animals, 
when they take a step forward. 

“ A bullet sent there must reach his heart; at 
any rate it will do enough damage to give 
Nughwa the help he must have.” 

The fall of the native was like that of a ball 
of India rubber, and he bounded up in the same 
instant that his body struck the ground. In the 
effort, he caught a momentary glimpse of his 
young friend, kneeling with his rifle leveled. 

“ Don’t shoot! don’t shoot!” called Nughwa 
angrily. 

“Why not?” asked Dudley, whose forefinger 
was pressing the trigger. 


80 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“I’ll shoot him, if there’s any need ; pnt down 
yonr gun!” 

“You’ll shoot him,” muttered Dudley, lower- 
ing his weapon; “all I’ve got to say is you’re a 
simpleton if your gun is loaded and you don’t 
use it.” 

The occasion did not favor conversation, and 
the guide said nothing more; he was not yet 
through with the brute, which persisted in forc- 
ing his attentions upon him. With his eyes 
on the vast bulk, and on the alert for every 
movement, Nughwa, however, called out im- 
patiently : 

“Why don’t you do as told? Get farther 
away, and do it now!” 

The native was angry and Dudley Mayson 
could not mistake the fact. He walked slowly 
backward, holding his gun in front and seeing 
and thinking only of his friend, who seemed to 
be involved beyond the possibility of escape. 

It looked as if the running vines that filled 
the undergrowth with their wiry network were 
doomed to play the mischief that afternoon. It 
was natural that Dudley should forget them in 
the excitement of the moment, and inevitable 
therefore, that he should have another fall. But 
he did not lose his hold upon his weapon, and 


THE ELEPHANT CATCHER 


81 


was on his feet again almost as soon as his 
friend. 

It would seem that any further delay in firing 
on the part of Nughwa was unpardonable, when 
as he staggered backward again, partly thrown 
from his feet, he had to fling up his gun to ward 
off the trunk that was once more reaching for 
him. But he refused to harm the creature, 
which, with a natural professional instinct, he 
hoped to make captive some time, and, with in- 
imitable dexterity, leaped behind a sapling, too 
small to yield more than a partial refuge for the 
moment. 

But the temporary respite gave the chance 
for Nughwa to repeat his exasperating and 
wonderful performance of a few minutes before. 
Crouching low, he slipped under the vaguely 
groping trunk and once more dashed between 
the beam-like front legs. This time, however, 
he neither slapped the animal nor uttered a 
word. 

As a consequence, the white elephant was be- 
wildered, and for a minute or two seemed to 
lose his proverbial sagacity. He reached here 
and there with his trunk, and, failing to grasp 
his victim, curled it aloft and trumpeted. Then 
with a stupidity of which he ought to have been 
ashamed, he got the idea that his man was hid- 
6 


82 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


ing somewhere about the base of the sapling, 
when in truth, there was not space for a mouse 
to conceal himself. In a paroxysm of rage, he 
drove one of his tusks into the soft earth at the 
foot of the small tree, and heaved resistlessly 
upward. The sapling, roots and all, were 
drawn forth as if they had been merely stuck 
into the ground. The dirt flew in every direc- 
tion and dripped like perspiration from the 
massive front of the jungle-monarch, who in 
the grandeur of his wrath, stared around for 
the man whom he meant to annihilate. 

He did not see him, though Dudley Mayson 
did. The native, without speaking, caught the 
stare of his young friend and motioned for him 
to remain silent and keep out of sight. Recall- 
ing how much more the native knew of the situa- 
tion than himself, the lad obeyed. Fortunately, 
he not only gained a secure screen, but at the 
moment of availing himself of it, the head of 
the elephant was turned away, and he therefore 
failed to note the act. Had he observed it, it is 
likely he would have charged him, and a part of 
the previous performance would have been re- 
peated. It is more than probable that self- 
defence would have compelled the killing of the 
white elephant, to the inconsolable regret of 
Nughwa. 


THE ELEPHANT CATCHER 83 

By common consent, the species is regarded 
as among the most intelligent of all quadrupeds. 
It may be doubted whether any animal except- 
ing certain breeds of dogs surpass him. Al- 
though the specimen to which we have been giv- 
ing attention was confused for a brief while by 
the puzzling acts of the man who had captured 
so many of his kind, yet he now betrayed some- 
thing of his usual sense. 

He had engaged in a “wrestle’ ’ with a biped 
and was outwitted. The struggle had been a 
fair one and there could be no doubt of the re- 
sult. Why, therefore, should he keep up the 
useless contest? 

Nughwa suspected the nature of the problem 
that was crystallizing in that prodigious brain, 
and he could not throw away the delight of vic- 
tory. He boldly stepped forth into full view, 
swung his gun over his head, and uttered a tan- 
talizing shout, accompanied by remarks that 
were anything but respectful to the party to 
whom they were addressed. 

The picture was a striking one. Man, boy 
and animal formed the corners of a big triangle, 
and for a few seconds were as motionless as the 
trunks of the trees around them. Grasping his 
gun with one hand, Dudley Mayson leaned his 
head just far enough to one side to allow him 


84 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


to peep around the bark of the tree that shielded 
him from the sight of the elephant; Nughwa, 
who had been thus concealed, had come out into 
the open and assumed a defiant pose, after fling- 
ing his disrespectful words at the white ele- 
phant ; the latter faced the native, and, strangely 
enough, looked straight at him without move- 
ment or sound on his part. 

To Dudley Mayson it looked as if the brute 
were debating whether it was worth while to 
renew the attempt to extinguish the native. 
Suddenly he trumpeted and took a single step 
toward Nughwa. The latter brandished his gun 
and called, as if to tantalize him into coming 
nearer. Instead of doing so, he stood still, sur- 
veyed the dusky native, and then, flinging aloft 
his trunk, trumpeted again. Then he swung 
ponderously around and plunged into the jun- 
gle. Words could not have said more plainly: 

“I want nothing more to do with you; you 
are not worth my notice !” 


CHAPTER VIII 


CONCERNING ELEPHANTS 

N UGHWA had a vein of waggery in his 
composition and when he saw the white 
elephant “turn tail ’ y and make off, as if 
in a panic of fear, he shook with mirth. He 
made scarcely any noise in doing so, for, like 
the majority of hunters, he had learned long be- 
fore the virtue of silence and the danger of 
noise when in the depths of the forest or jungle. 
Dudley Mayson, being a rugged American 
youngster, was expected to get all the fun possi- 
ble out of any and everything, and he laughed 
harder than his companion, as anyone passing 
near could have told from the sounds of his 
merriment. 

And yet Nughwa could not forget one momen- 
tous fact: their affray had taken place with a 
white elephant, undoubtedly the most valuable 
animal in the world. He had disappeared in 
the wood, and yet he could not be far off, nor 
was he likely to stray to any distance for some 
days, and perhaps weeks to come. 

85 


86 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


Before referring further to him, the native 
inquired as to Dudley’s experience since their 
separation about the middle of the day. When 
the lad had told him everything, his friend re- 
marked in a reverential voice, as he glanced 
upward : 

“It was our heavenly Father who took care 
of you and of me, though I have not been in as 
much danger as you.” 

“There can he no doubt of that, Nughwa; He 
never forgets us for a single moment; father 
told me you were a Christian and it makes my 
heart glad to know it. ’ ’ 

“I try hard and I trust I do not displease 
that Father, a great deal; He is kinder to me 
than I deserve.” 

‘ ‘ So He is to all His children ; what would be- 
come of us if we were punished as we ought to 
to punished? but, Nughwa, I don’t see how you 
can come any nearer death than you did a little 
while ago ; again and again, I was sure it was 
all over with you, and my heart was in my 
mouth all the time. ’ ’ 

“I am sure it looked that way to you.” 

“Did it not to youV ’ 

“Almost, — not quite; I did not forget that 
my gun was loaded, and when the moment came, 


CONCERNING ELEPHANTS 


8T 


which I prayed would not come, I could slay the 
elephant . 1 9 

“What is the best spot to aim at, when you 
wish to bring one of them down?” 

“Hunters do not all think the same. You 
have heard of Andersson, who has slain scores 
of elephants; he says the shoulder, near the 
lower edge of the ear is the right spot, while 
others favor the shattering of the fore leg, 
which renders the brute helpless at once. I 
have never used that method for it seems cruel. 
In Ceylon, the practice is to send the rifle hall 
into the head, either through the temple, or* the 
hollow above the eye, or a spot directly over 
the trunk, where the skull-structure is weak, 
and the brain is easily reached.” 

“Which is your method?” 

“The one I have just told you about, but not 
many can use it.” 

“Why not?” 

“It is too great a strain upon the hunter’s 
nerves ; he must be as cool as if not the slightest 
danger threatens, and not fire until the charging 
elephant is within fifteen paces. Then, if he 
fails to hit the exact point, it is all over with 
him, for he has no time to make ready to fire 
a second time.” 

“I made a sort of blind shot at this fellow 


88 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


when he was rushing down upon me; where was 
it I struck him?” 

With a grin, Nughwa replied : 

“I did not know you struck him; I am sure 
the white elephant did not know it either.” 

“That may be, but he would have known it 
the last time, for I had my gun pointed at the 
spot just behind his fore leg; that , I am sure, 
would have brought him down.” 

“I am glad you are sure for I am not; if you 
are ever driven into a corner by an angry ele- 
phant, don’t try to make the shot you just spoke 
of, nor the one I told you I make, if the chance 
is given me, but aim for the shoulder, close to 
the lower edge of the ear or break the fore leg. 
As I told you, it is cruel, but sometimes we have 
to be cruel in order to save our lives.” 

I do not suppose there is a boy or girl who is 
reading these lines that has not seen an ele- 
phant, — probably a large number of them, for 
they have become so common as to attract 
little attention. Yet there are many interesting 
facts concerning them, a few of which may be 
strange to you. The huge limbs are very thick 
and strong, as they have to be in order to sus- 
tain their immense weight. These are very 
straight, each bone resting vertically on the one 
beneath it. The ancients used to think the 


CONCERNING ELEPHANTS 89 

limbs had no joints, and consequently the ele- 
phant could not lie down, or, if down, could not 
rise again. Yet the legs are flexible enough to 
permit him to run almost as fast as a horse, to 
climb steep mountains and to indulge in playful 
antics. You have seen the trick elephants stand 
on their heads, sit up like trained dogs and 
gambol as if they were puppies. They are 
surer-footed than horses or mules on rough 
mountain roads. 

The elephant often sleeps while on his feet, 
and perhaps leaning against some rock or tree, 
which he may have been using for a rubbing 
post. If you have ever seen one of them lie 
down, you noticed that he does not bring his 
hind legs under him, like other quadrupeds, but 
extends them backward., as you do when kneel- 
ing. This enables him to rise with little effort. 
When he increases his gait above a walk, it is 
neither a trot nor a gallop, and it is not changed 
in adding to or diminishing his speed. His 
bony structure will not permit him to leap like 
a horse and other animals. 

The trunk is one of the most wonderful or- 
gans found in the animal kingdom. As I have 
intimated, it contains about fifty thousand mus- 
cles, all capable of distinct action. The ele- 
phant can coil it around a tree and pull it up by 


90 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


the roots ; he can pluck the smallest leaf or lift a 
pin from the ground. You have noticed the re- 
semblance to a finger and thumb at the extrem- 
ity, and surely a hand could not be capable of 
greater delicacy of action. It is used much 
oftener as a weapon of offence and defence than 
the tusks. All the food eaten by the brute is 
carried to the mouth by the trunk, and it also 
sucks up the necessary water which is dis- 
charged into the mouth. The valves at the base 
of the trunk prevent the water from going too 
far up the nostrils. With the same organ, the 
elephant scatters dust over his sides and back, 
or switches away flies or fans himself, by means 
of a leafy branch, or throws water in sport at 
his companions. 

The animal has a keen sense of smell and of 
hearing. His eyes are small and his flapping 
ears of enormous size. They are much larger 
in the African than in the Asiatic elephant. 
The latter is not so intelligent as those found 
elsewhere. The great Jumbo, the largest ever 
seen in captivity, was a native of Africa. 

I could not, in the space at command, tell you 
a tenth part of the interesting peculiarities of 
the largest of living quadrupeds. To me, how- 
ever, one of the most singular facts — if it be a 
fact — is that in Ceylon, where tens of thousands 


CONCERNING ELEPHANTS 91 

of them roam the forests, no one has ever been 
able to find the skeleton or remains of an ele- 
phant which died a natural death. Those slain 
by hunters are only a fraction of the immense 
number living in that large island, and the ques- 
tions have often been asked and never an- 
swered : ‘ 6 What becomes of the elephants that 

die of old age as thousands of them must die 
annually? Why can we never come upon their 
remains V’ I leave the problem for you to 
solve. 

“Nughwa, you are a native of this country 
and can tell me why the people think so highly 
of the white elephant. ’ ’ 

The swarthy countenance showed that the 
guide ’s conversion to Christianity had not freed 
his nature of all the remnants of superstition. 

“He is the king of elephants and has been 
worshipped for many centuries in Burmah and 
Siam. You ask me why my people think so 
highly of him and I answer because he de- 
serves it.” 

“But why does such a simple thing as his 
color make him sacred?” 

“Because it wouldn’t be given him unless his 
sacredness deserved it.” 

Nughwa ’s logic traveled in a circle, and the 


92 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

lad did not think it worth while to follow it 
farther. 

“I am told many think some future Buddha 
dwells in him, but I have heard that many of 
them are called white when they are not. Was 
the specimen we saw a good one?” 

“One of the finest; there is none in Bangkok 
that equals him; he is a prize worth a fortune 
to whomsoever can capture him. When you 
see a white elephant, ’ ’ continued the native, ‘ 4 it 
means prosperity and happiness to the king- 
dom. Two hundred years ago there was one 
in Siam, which kept three nations at war for 
half a century for his possession. He caused 
the death of five kings and thousands of sol- 
diers. But he was a pure white one, though 
very small. One of my ancestors took part in 
the war which he caused, and I would fight for 
a white elephant to-day, because my Christian- 
ity does not forbid it.” 

“They must have treated the animal well.” 

‘ ‘ So they did and so they will always do. The 
white elephant on a red ground is the flag of 
our country, and whoever captures one and de- 
livers him to the king will be made wealthy and 
be honored all the rest of his life.” 

“Has the king any of them in his posses- 
sion?” 


CONCERNING ELEPHANTS 


93 


“Yes — several. The court is never without 
them, for there seems to be just enough in Bur- 
mah, Siam and Cambodia, to keep the kings 
supplied. In the older times, whenever the ruler 
of any tributary province captured a white ele- 
phant, the road was cleared for him through the 
jungle, that his feet and body might not be 
scratched. If to the northward, he was brought 
down the Meinam on a big raft, and was fed all 
the way on the delicacies of the country. No 
prince, and not even the king himself, could be 
treated with greater honor. 

“When he arrived at the capital, all the mer- 
chants in the city were commanded to call upon 
and pay their respects to him ; and as each caller 
made a present of half a ducat, the amount was 
large. Every white elephant has a house of 
his own, where there are plenty of golden orna- 
ments and his food is put before him in silver 
vessels. Each day, when he goes to the river to 
wash, he walks under a canopy of gold or silk, 
carried by six or eight men, while others parade 
in front, playing on drums and shawns. Our 
chief ruler has many titles, but his proudest one 
is King of the White Elephants.” 

“Have you ever seen any wild before to- 
day V 9 

“Two years ago, I went with your father, the 


94 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


good missionary, on a hunt in the forests of 
Dong-Phya-Phia, to the north of Keng Khoe, 
and there we saw a young one of a cream color. 
I used to be an elephant-catcher before I became 
a Christian, and I made up my mind that I 
would capture the animal and take him to the 
king. I had to go to the town for ropes, but 
when I came back, he was still browsing on the 
bank with three others. Before I could get near 
them, they went to bathe, and stood there for 
an hour, flinging the water over their big bodies, 
while I lay hid in the wood, waiting for them to 
come out, since it was of no use to try to take 
him while in the stream. 

4 ‘What took place was the strangest thing in 
the world, and I could never understand how 
it happened. Something became the matter 
with the white elephant, and he fell down in 
the water and acted just like a swimmer when 
he is caught with the cramp. His companions 
saw he was in trouble and tried to assist him. 
They got their tusks and trunks under him and 
placed themselves so as to help him out, but it 
was no use. While I lay there watching, he 
went down flat in the muddy current and floated 
off as dead as a log of wood. I need not tell 
you how disappointed I was, for it was the loss 
of great wealth that was almost in my hands. ’ 9 


CONCERNING ELEPHANTS 95 

“Was he finer than the one we saw to-day?” 

“No; I never saw one the equal of him who 
came so near killing you.” 

“And so near slaying you too.” 

“No; not so near as you thought; I had to 
move nimbly, but you saw he never got hold of 
me.” 

“Wouldn’t it be a wonderful stroke of for- 
tune, Nughwa, if we could capture the fellow 
who can’t be very far off?” 

“In truth it would.” 

i ‘ How I wish we might succeed. ’ ’ 

“We can!” 

Dudley Mayson turned his head quickly, sus- 
pecting his friend of jesting, but the dusky fel- 
low was never more in earnest. 


CHAPTER IX 


A REMINISCENCE 

W HAT a prospect! Here was Dudley 
May son, come all the way from the 
other side of the world to make his 
home with his loved parents and sister, and, 
hardly was he landed in the interesting country 
of Siam, when the dazzling hope of capturing 
one of the famous white elephants of that king- 
dom, was held up before him. Ordinarily, it 
would have been only the wild dream of a young 
enthusiast, with hardly one chance in a thousand 
of success, hut the man who awoke the thrilling 
thought was a veteran elephant-catcher, with- 
out a superior in his peculiar profession. Even 
then the scheme would have been quixotic, ex- 
cept for the knowledge that the grand prize was 
in the neighborhood. 

“You really mean what you have said, 
Nughwa?” 

“ I do ; the hope came to me when I first laid 
eyes on this animal, who stirred up things for 

96 


A REMINISCENCE 


97 


us ; I shall do all that can he done to capture the 
beast. Come ! ’ ’ 

The resolute Siamese strode through the 
dense jungle with a quick, elastic step, as if the 
task he had assumed was of easy accomplish- 
ment. The excited youth was almost upon his 
heels and plied him with questions. 

“You observed one fact,” said the guide; 
“the white elephant, in fleeing, took a course to 
the eastward, which is the one we must follow 
to reach the missionary station of Wahta-Shat, 
where live your parents, and more than a hun- 
dred native converts.” 

‘ ‘ Then, as we say in my country, we shall kill 
two birds with one stone. ’ ’ 

“I have heard your good father use those 
words when speaking of other matters, so I un- 
derstand what you mean; yes, I hope we shall 
kill two birds with one stone.” 

Still Dudley was not clear in his mind as to 
the method by which the tempting prize was to 
be captured. 

“We met the white elephant, and but for you 
I should have lost my life ; any one less skilful 
than you would have been slain by him. Now, 
if we overtake him, how will the situation be 
changed? If we could not make him prisoner 


7 


98 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


a little while ago, how shall we do so when we 
see him again ?” 

“Your question is sensible; it is easy to fol- 
low the spoor (trail) of the animal, but, as you 
have seen for yourself, we can do nothing while 
the circumstances remain as they are; we shall 
have to have the help of another elephant, who 
learned her business long since ; I have that ele- 
phant at home; she is Wahridda; my father 
gave her to me when I took a wife ; she is a jewel 
and knows more than any other creature in 
India ; I have used her in capturing over a hun- 
dred elephants ; she is sly and I think likes the 
fun of helping me carry on my trade; I have 
been offered large sums for her, but nothing 
can buy her; she loves me as you love your 
parents, and would give her life for me as I 
would give mine for her.” 

The swarthy countenance glowed. There 
could be no distrust of the fervent affection of 
the native for his sagacious animal.” 

‘ 4 Then we shall have to go home to get her ? ’ ’ 

“Yes.” 

“Why didn’t you bring her to Ayuthia that 
we might have ridden to the station on her?” 

“Your good father did not think it best. You 
need not fret ; you shall have plenty of chances 
to ride her and this foot-tramp through the jun- 


A REMINISCENCE 


99 


gle, without the care of an animal, will be more 
of a comfort than if we had one.” 

“It certainly has been more lively,” replied 
Dudley with a laugh. 

The knowledge that, while they were follow- 
ing the spoor of the elephant they were also 
drawing near their own destination, was inspir- 
iting to the youth. Great as was the temptation 
to engage in the stirring experience of captur- 
ing the royal prize, it did not awaken such a 
profound yearning in the heart of Dudley May- 
son as did that of meeting his own kin. Six 
years had passed since that memorable parting 
on the pier at New York. He thought of little 
Fannie and tried to picture her as a large girl, 
wearing long dresses, but until he actually saw 
his sister, he could think of her only as the sweet 
child, who clung to his neck, as if she would 
never let him go. 

And then, with a pang of sadness, he reflected 
that, the years of toil and self-sacrificing labor 
must have left their imprint upon his parents. 
The beautiful face of his mother had probably 
gained a wrinkle or two; perhaps a few silver 
threads were showing in the abundant auburn 
hair, and the frame may have lost some of its 
springiness. He remembered, as he would re- 
member all through his life, the last time he 
Lfrf G. 


100 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


knelt at her knee, while with her hand resting 
on his head, he had murmnred the prayer that 
had come from his lips and heart on every night 
since then. 

And his father. He was in the prime of his 
vigorous young manhood, when, leaving all the 
comforts and allurements of civilization behind, 
he had gone forth to give his energies, his 
strength, his devotion and his love to the labors 
in that distant corner of his Master’s vineyard. 
He never expected to return to his native land, 
although there was no saying when his splendid 
physical powers would succumb to the labors 
and insidious worriments of his new life. Dud- 
ley wondered whether his father had grown 
stronger, or weaker, or whether mayhap he had 
held his own. Without inquiring directly of 
Nughwa, he asked many questions, whose an- 
swers served to enlighten him. 

The son’s eye kindled when the native told 
him in his naive way that, among all the con- 
verts, there was not one who had the strength 
of the good missionary ; he often engaged in foot 
races with them and none could equal him in 
speed; Siam had many wrestlers in whom she 
felt pride. Knowing how strongly physical 
superiority appeals to the barbarian, George 
Mayson had in a friendly way accepted the 


A REMINISCENCE 


101 


challenges of the most famous wrestlers among 
the settlements for many miles around, and thus 
far he was a victor in all. 

“One day,” said Nughwa, “a wrestler came 
all the way from Ayuthia to gain the glory of 
defeating the good missionary; news of your 
father’s skill had been carried to the town, and 
the native wrestler had been taunted and told 
that if he came to the station he would meet his 
master. The taunts made Wugo-Singh very 
angry, and he uttered a vow that he would throw 
the white man over his head and make him 
strike so hard on the earth that he would never 
be able to wrestle again. 

“Well he came to Wahta-Shat with three 
companions who were wrestlers, but Wugo- 
Singh had defeated them all. He brought them 
along that they might witness his triumph, and 
tell, even as far as Bangkok, that there was none 
in all Siam who could lay Wugo-Singh on his 
back. 

“Your father did not like such contests, — 
that is with those who came from a distance. 
He was willing to strive with his friends, but 
was not pleased that the people should think 
of him as a wrestler, rather than as one who 
wished to do good to their souls . 9 9 

“That was just like father,” said Dudley; 


102 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“I was told he was one of the most modest men 
in college ; hut I am anxious to hear the rest of 
your story.’ ’ 

“When the four wrestlers arrived, one of 
them was an old friend of mine ; he was an ele- 
phant-catcher and we had hunted together. He 
was a strong man who gave Wugo-Singh a hard 
tussle, hut he had to bow the knee to him. 
Wugo-Singh told him as a secret, soon after 
the four reached the station that he meant to 
kill the good missionary — ” 

4 ‘ The scoundrel ! * ’ exclaimed Dudley. 

“But wait; his plan was to do it in a fair 
wrestling bout; he said he knew of a trick, by 
which he would trifle with the missionary until 
he was off his guard, when he would suddenly 
apply a lock and throw your good father so 
high above his head that when he struck the 
earth, his neck would assuredly break. My 
friend secretly told this to your father.” 
“flow did father take it?” 

“He was grieved to learn that anyone should 
wish to harm him, hut,” chuckled Nughwa, “his 
eyes flashed, when he was told that Wugo-Singh 
had said that he would trifle with him and carry 
along the contest for awhile, so as not to de- 
prive the spectators of their enjoyment. That 
would help, too, to throw the good missionary 


A REMINISCENCE 


103 


off his guard and make his defeat the greater. 

“Wugo-Singh was a man of mighty power, 
and had never met his equal in all Siam; he 
hated the good missionary, because he belonged 
to the race of British who oppressed Siam; 
but more than that, he hated him because he 
had dared to believe he was the equal of 
Wugo-Singh in a wrestling bout; he did not 
care for the religion he taught, for Wugo- 
Singh was a Buddhist, and despised the faith 
of the white man. So great was his prowess, 
that the friend to whom he told his intentions 
was alarmed for your father. He tried to 
dissuade Wugo-Singh from his fell purpose, 
saying that it would be triumph enough 
for him to overthrow the missionary without 
doing him harm. He begged Wugo-Singh to 
do no more. In truth, he begged so hard that 
Wugo-Singh said he would not kill his antago- 
nist, if the missionary would confess that Wugo- 
Singh was the better man.” 

“Do you mean that father should agree to 
that before the wrestling bout?” 

“That was what Wugo-Singh said.” 

“You need not tell me what father said to 
that impudent demand ; I don ’t understand why 
that wrestler of yours should ask such a con- 
fession, when he was so confident of his superi- 


104 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


ority; surely he could well afford to wait until 
he proved he was a better wrestler than the 
white man. ’ ’ 

“I did not make my meaning quite clear. 
Wugo-Singh did not mean that your father 
should confess he was not the equal of the native 
in skill, and have Wugo-Singh accept that as his 
victory without any wrestling contest. Wugo- 
Singh would not have omitted that for anything 
in the world.’ ’ 

‘ 4 What then was he driving at?” 

‘ ‘ He insisted that your good father should say 
to him in the presence of the three wrestlers, 
that he was not worthy to contest with him, 
but he would do so that the people who had come 
so far, besides those at the station, should not 
lose their entertainment. If the missionary 
would say this privately you understand, then 
Wugo-Singh gave his promise that he would not 
hurl the white man too hard to the earth. To 
quote his own words he would leave the good 
missionary enough strength to rise to his feet 
without help from his friends.” 

‘ ‘ And those words were told to father ! How 
did he receive them?” 

“His eye flashed. ‘Go right back to Wugo- 
Singh,’ said he, ‘and tell him I will not make 
any such confession ; tell him he is not a great 


A REMINISCENCE 


105 


wrestler; lie thinks he is, but I shall show all 
who look upon us that he is hut a child in my 
hands ; tell him that if I choose I can break his 
neck, but out of pity for him I will not do so ; 
I defy him to do his best or worst, as you 
choose to consider it.’ ” 

Dudley Mayson’s eyes sparkled. 

4 ‘ That sounds like father — God bless him! 
I wish I could have been there to see the match ; 
wouldn’t I have whooped it up for him! But 
go on.” 

“In front of the little bamboo church that has 
been put up by the good missionary and his 
converts is a broad, open space. Sometimes 
when the weather is very warm, we gather there 
and the good man addresses us in the open air. 
We have had all our wrestling matches in that 
place. When the time came, not a man, woman, 
boy or girl was absent. They gathered with 
breathless interest, but most of them were sad, 
for it grieved them to believe they were about 
to see their loved missionary overthrown and 
perhaps killed. 

“Wugo-Singh was hare to the girdle at his 
waist. He was not large, hut his arms and legs 
were as of iron. He sneered when he looked 
on the graceful figure of the white man, who 
removed his coat and vest but wore his shirt. 


106 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


When, however, Wugo-Singh had the chance to 
gripe the arms of the missionary, he was as- 
tonished to find the muscles were as hard as 
his own, but his confidence of victory was not 
weakened. 

“I cannot describe all the contest. Wugo- 
Singh knew his business and perhaps it was 
well that the good man had been warned, for 
it saved him from holding the other too cheap. 
I think your good father was a little angry be- 
cause of the slurs and taunts of Wugo-Singh, 
and he was not forbearing with him. Be that 
as it may, they had not struggled long, when 
Wugo-Singh was hurled upward, as if from 
a springboard and, describing a circle over the 
missionary’s head, he came down on his crown 
with a force that caused every one to gasp, for 
they were sure he was killed. 

“He drew close to death, for it was some 
minutes before he was seen to breathe. You 
know your father is a physician, besides being a 
preacher. He was very kind, and nursed Wugo- 
Singh so carefully that after a time he came 
round, but it was several days before he was 
fully right.” 

“Did he show any anger toward father for 
what he had done ? ’ ’ 

“It was the other way; he formed a strong 


A REMINISCENCE 


107 


love for him; he asked him about the religion 
he had brought from the other side of the world ; 
he listened and after a time, knelt down and 
prayed to the same God and He heard him as 
He does all who pray to Him with the right 
spirit. ’ ’ 

“So Wugo-Singh became a Christian?” 

“Yes; he is a humble follower of the Sav- 
iour. 9 9 

“You have interested me very much in your 
story; I wish I could meet Wugo-Singh.” 

“You shall meet him.” 

“You told me he came from Ayuthia; why 
did you not let me see him there?” 

“You did.” 

“You are mistaken; I have no recollection 
of anything of that kind.” 

“I forgot to say that when Wugo-Singh be- 
came a Christian, he changed his name, like Saul 
of Tarsus.” 

“Ah, may I ask what it is now?” 

“It is Nughwa.” 


CHAPTER X 


THE SPOOR 

46 V 1 THAT is the distance we must pass to 
YY reach home?” asked Dudley May- 
son. 

‘ 1 About thirty miles. ’ ’ 

“And I suppose the forest continues the same 
as that through which we have passed ? ’ 1 

“You find little difference in the jungles of 
Siam, except where they are of less extent; 
even then a young man like you would be unable 
to see any change.” 

“Of course we shall have to spend this night 
on the road, but we ought to reach home by to- 
morrow. ’ ’ 

“We shall do so, unless something unusual 
happens. ’ ’ 

“Like another tornado.” 

“Such things are liable to come any time; 
we may journey to and fro for weeks without 
running into one, and then we may have two 
or three in as many days.” 

108 


THE SPOOR 


109 


“I got enough with the last one, — that will 
suffice, hut, Nughwa (I don’t suppose you care 
for the old name ‘Wugo- Singh’), suppose the 
trail of the white elephant takes a new turn.” 

‘ ‘ Likely it will do so, for it would be too good 
fortune for us if it kept on to Wahta-Shat. 
No,” he corrected himself, “it would be ill-for- 
tune. ’ ’ 

“Why?” 

‘ ‘ He would be discovered by others and they 
would capture him from us. True, they would 
not, have so good a chance as I, for there is only 
one Wahridda. So, if the spoor changes, we 
must keep on to the station, which we ought to 
reach by to-morrow evening.” 

“Why is it the white elephant is alone?” 

“That is rather curious, but, I think his 
friends are not far off and he will join them 
pretty soon.” 

“And we shall have several instead of one 
to follow.” 

“Yes; and it will be better that it is so.” 

“It seems to me the task ;will be harder for 
us or rather for you.” 

“Why does it seem so to you?” 

“I have read that elephants are clannish and 
will fight for one another.” 

“So they will, but I can shoot the others if 


no RIVER AND JUNGLE 

they become bothersome ; in doing that, we shall 
distract their attention and our work will be 
easier.” 

Nughwa showed no desire for food, and Dud- 
ley Mayson had eaten enough mangosteen to 
serve him for the remainder of the day, so it 
did not seem there would be any cause for stop- 
ping before night. 

The air grew sultry and oppressive. The 
youth, unaccustomed to such trying tempera- 
ture, felt it more than his companion suspected, 
but he pluckily kept to work, with compressed 
lips, determined not to succumb until compelled 
to do so. 

The largest of quadrupeds cannot help leav- 
ing a distinct spoor or trail, so it was no task 
for the two to follow the white elephant with- 
out any abatement of speed. The two had gone 
perhaps three miles, when Nughwa, who main- 
tained his place slightly in advance, halted and 
asked his young friend to come to his side. 
Pointing to the ground, he asked: 

“Do you notice anything different in the 
spoor?” 

Dudley scrutinized the broken twigs and 
trampled undergrowth, but noted nothing ex- 
cept that the brute seemed to be advancing more 
carelessly, as may be said. When Dudley re- 


THE SPOOR 


111 


marked this, his guide smiled, and without 
speaking, moved on again. Only a few rods 
away, the trail dipped slightly and crossed a 
rivulet. Here the ground was so soft that the 
huge, odd-looking footprints could he seen with 
great distinctness. 

“Now look,” said Nughwa, stepping to one 
side so as to give the other a better opportunity 
to inspect the signs. A few moments were 
enough, and his young friend exclaimed: 

‘ ‘ There ’s more than one elephant in front of 
us.” 

‘ ‘ How many do you make ? ’ ’ 

Studying the impressions more closely, the 
lad replied: 

“I make three.” 

“That is right; instead of following the white 
elephant alone, we are following him and two 
companions; he has joined his family, as I was 
sure he would do.” 

“But what induced him to wander off alone, 
as when we met him?” 

‘ ‘ Do you not sometimes take a walk by your- 
self?” 

The explanation contained in the question was 
hardly satisfactory, but Dudley did not think it 
worth while to press it further. 

Hardly ten minutes passed in which they did 


112 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


not hear the chattering of monkeys, and fre- 
quently the mischievous creatures were seen 
leaping, swinging and playing among the upper 
branches of the trees. Who can look upon 
those frolicsome animals without being amused? 
Dudley Mayson had stood with other boys in 
front of the cages in . the museums at home, 
laughing at their antics, and he found those in 
the jungle so entertaining thsCt he often stopped 
to watch them. 

One gray-bearded old fellow seemed to feel 
particular interest in the young American. 
Perhaps he saw something in the lighter hue of 
his face and his different dress, which stirred 
his curiosity, for he hopped like a squirrel from 
limb to limb and kept abreast of him for a con- 
siderable way. He would peep around the side 
of a trunk, then scramble nimbly to a higher 
perch and peer down at the lad, all the time 
chattering and. indulging in such grimaces that 
our young friend was forced to laugh outright. 
He half expected to see him put his thumb — 
if it may be so considered — to the tip of his 
sunken nose and twiddle his fingers at him. 

It was not long after this that Nughwa made 
the discovery that the white elephant and his 
companions had turned abruptly to the north- 
ward. 


THE SPOOR 


113 


“It is fortunate that such animals can’t help 
leaving a plain spoor, so that we are always 
sure of the right path to follow,” he remarked, 
as he turned off from the course they had been 
pursuing. 

“How far are they likely to go before they 
stop?” 

“There’s no saying, — that’s the worst of it. 
The elephant is a queer creature, and one of the 
most curious things about him is his way of 
learning when danger is drawing near. He has 
more knowledge and cunning than all the other 
brutes together. When a hunter comes upon 
one, the animal will start off through the jungle, 
crushing down everything in his path. He will 
tear his way ahead until hidden in the timber, 
when the racket may stop like a flash and every- 
thing become as still as the grave. The hunter 
thinks his game is hiding and spends an hour in 
stealing up to the spot, sure all the time that he 
has him beyond possibility of escape. Instead 
of that, the elephant has never stopped travel- 
ing and most likely is several miles away. The 
strange part of the business is the way he will 
suddenly cease his clatter, and just at the right 
time to make the man believe he is trying to 
hide himself. You will understand his purpose 
in making the racket and then stopping it, and 
8 


114 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


it is a wise hunter who does not find himself 
outwitted at the moment he is sure of his 
game. It is truly wonderful how he can move 
that enormous bulk so quietly, and if it were 
not for the moist atmosphere which keeps twigs 
and leaves soft, it would be impossible.” 


CHAPTER XI 


DOWN IN THE MOUTH 

T HE elephant spoor again turned to the 
right, leading directly toward the mis- 
sionary station of Walita-Shat, much to 
the delight of Dudley Mayson, who had recov- 
ered his physical buoyancy, because of the rest 
obtained a short time before. Less than half 
a mile farther, they reached the stream into 
which the tornado had carried the young Ameri- 
can earlier in the day, though of course they 
were much farther to the eastward. 

The footprints of the bulky creatures were 
easy to follow, and led along the bank of the 
tributary, for another mile, when they entered 
the water. 

“What do you make of that?” asked Nughwa 
of his young friend, whom he seemed anxious 
to instruct in the mysteries of the jungle. 

‘ ‘ It looks as if they had gone into the stream 
to bathe; I understand elephants are fond of 
bathing.” 


115 


116 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“No animal is fonder, but, if that was their 
purpose they ought to be in sight; do you see 
anything of them ? ’ ’ 

Dudley had already scrutinized the current, 
which, because of its windings, could not be 
traced to any distance with the eye. So far as 
he could judge, it showed no signs of the big 
animals. 

“Can they not have wandered up or down 
stream f ’ ’ 

“They could, but they didn’t; they passed to 
the other side, and we must look for their spoor 
on that bank.” 

“It will be no easy task to cross.” 

“It is not difficult; I have done it many times ; 
could we not make use of that log, lying against 
the shore, just above you?” 

A glance at the object showed Dudley it was 
the same kind of log that he had tried to make 
use of earlier in the day. This crocodile, which 
was fully as large as the other, lay close to land, 
his body in the water and only his cavernous 
head above the surface, ready to gulp down 
anything that wandered within reach. 

“Wait here a little while,” added Nugliwa, 
1 ‘ and you will see some fun. ’ ’ 

The cause of this remark was a number of 
apes or tailless monkeys, that were frolicking 


DOWN IN THE MOUTH 


117 


among the trees along shore. Dudley believed 
they were meditating mischief against him and 
Nughwa, but the latter assured him the saurian 
would be the first one to receive attention from 
them. Such proved to be the fact. 

The resemblance of the simian family, in 
more than one respect, to the human species is 
often startling. The group numbered eight or 
ten, and they could be seen consulting together, 
their actions and manner showing that their in- 
terest was in the crocodile. They chattered, 
looked wise, and one or two indicated the huge 
saurian by amusing gestures. 

Suddenly the largest of the party ambled 
toward the monstrous head, and made a feint 
with his paw. This was repeated several times, 
and then the ape struck the corrugated mass a 
sharp blow and leaped nimbly back. The croco- 
dile did not stir nor give any sign that he was 
aware of the movement. 

The other apes viewed the sport of their 
leader with envy. It was too risky for them to 
imitate him, but they hit upon an expedient that 
promised the very sport they were seeking. 
They crowded together, scrambled oddly for a 
few minutes, and then evolved a chain, by hang- 
ing to one another’s bodies, in the most gro- 
tesque fashion. One of them ran up an over- 


118 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


hanging tree and grasped a projecting branch. 
A second clung to his lower limbs, a third to the 
second, and so on. The string was completed 
by the large ape leaping upward and seizing 
the lowest link. 

* ‘ That fellow at the top has a big weight to 
support,” remarked, Dudley; “they are a good 
deal stronger than I supposed. It looks as if 
the leader is to have all the fun to himself . 9 ’ 

“Wait till you see the end of the perform- 
ance,” answered Nughwa. 

The chain now began oscillating like a pen- 
dulum. The big monkey at the base helped mat- 
ters by regularly striking his feet against the 
trunk of the tree. With a quick pressure, he 
sent himself swinging back, the amplitude of the 
vibrations increasing with each effort. As the 
leader whizzed over the head of the crocodile, 
he hung by one paw, and, reaching downward, 
flipped the craggy head with the other, uttering 
at the same time his peculiar cry of delight. 
The others showed their keen sense of the sport 
by joining in his expressions of pleasure. 

This occurred several times, and then, as the 
bottom fellow was almost over the head, the 
immense jaws opened and viciously snapped. 
But they closed on vacancy. The ape eluded 
him, as a fly escapes the slap of a boy’s hand, 


DOWN IN THE MOUTH 


119 


and all the monkeys screamed with enjoyment. 
The disappointed reptile subsided and lay sul- 
len and as motionless as a log. 

The animated pendulum swung to and fro, the 
links frequently shifting their manner of sup- 
porting one another, until it looked as if the 
whole chain was going to pieces. Sometimes 
the apes changed positions and the one near the 
top dropped lower or deftly slid almost to the 
bottom. He would have changed places with 
the leader, had the latter permitted. This curi- 
ous shifting about suggested the “Chinese 
chain, ” which looks as if falling apart, hut does 
not do so, the deception being visual. 

Meanwhile, the saurian hided his time. If he 
seemed asleep or indifferent, he was far from 
being so. The flat, ridged head, covered with 
scraggly knobs like the outside of a bank safe, 
gave no evidence of life, and the dull ugly eyes 
seemed to see nothing. 

The dangling simiadae were overflowing with 
boisterous fun. They chattered as they grasped 
the supporting limb or bodies, and the oscilla- 
tions grew until it looked as if the lowest fellow, 
in case he lost his hold, would be carried by his 
momentum up among the limbs of the adjoining 
trees. You have seen a youngster grasp the 
end of, a low-hanging branch, and thus swing 


120 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


back and forth. Picture nearly a dozen boys 
thus clinging to one another and swaying to and 
fro, and you will have an idea of the chain of 
apes having their sport in the Siamese jungle. 

Every time the string whizzed over the croco- 
dile, the big fellow at the base leaned down and 
whacked the ugly head with one of his paws. 
Now and then he varied it by giving it a kick, 
and never failed to chatter and scream with en- 
joyment, as did his companions above, who cov- 
eted the fun that fell mainly to their leader. 

“If that crocodile had a grain of sense, he 
would stop that business in a twinkling/ ’ said 
the grinning Dudley Mayson. 

“How would he do it?” 

“The line has a regular swing, like a pendu- 
lum, and he must see it as it comes toward him. 
He can tell the exact instant when it will pass 
over his head, and a slight thrusting forward 
of his snout and a snap of the jaws would give 
him a dinner and his revenge, which I suppose 
he values more than everything else.” 

“And that is just what he will do.” 

The words were hardly uttered when they 
were verified. Just as the lowermost ape was 
rushing down the arc, the crocodile threw his 
head forward and upward and opened his enor- 


DOWN IN THE MOUTH 


121 


mous jaws. The trap was ready, and yawned 
in the path of the approaching victim. 

The ape saw his peril and desperately at- 
tempted to scramble up out of reach. He might 
have succeeded, had a few more precious sec- 
onds been his, but unfortunately, they were not. 
When the jaws snapped together, the monkey 
was in them, and he had only time to emit a 
hurried farewell, when he vanished from the 
sight of his companions. 

The startling occurrence threw the remaining 
monkeys into consternation. They broke apart, 
tumbling to the ground beyond reach of the 
saurian and scattering among the branches, 
from which they looked down with cries of ter- 
ror upon the creature that had deprived them 
with such suddenness of their leader. He 
looked blinkingly upward as if to signify his 
appetite was not quite satisfied and he was wait- 
ing for another titbit. 

“I don’t think the survivors will repeat that 
performance,” said Dudley Mayson. 

“Perhaps not for two or three days, when, 
if the chance offers, they will be at it again. 
Monkeys are like boys, — they are so full of mis- 
chief and fun, that they will take all sorts of 
chances. But the afternoon is passing, and we 
must not waste any more time.” 


122 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


In truth, twilight was already stealing 
through the forest. It was not advisable to 
journey much farther. 

‘ ‘ I was pretty well tired out awhile ago, when 
it was so warm,” said Dudley; “but with the 
going down of the sun, it seems to be cooler 
among the trees, and I am ready to walk as far 
as you wish, even when it is dark. ’ ’ 

“If there was need of doing so, we should 
keep it up, but we need not hurry to be at your 
home before dark to-morrow.” 

“Just to think! I shall soon be with father 
and mother and Fannie, whom I have not seen 
for six years !” 

“We have reason to think that will be so,” 
replied the native sympathetically, for he liked 
the sturdy American youth. He would have 
felt an attraction toward him for no other rea- 
son than that he was the son of the couple whom 
he loved and reverenced above all others in the 
world ; but personal courage commands the ad- 
miration of everyone, and, brief as was the time 
the two had been together, the native had 
learned the sterling qualities of the youth who 
had come to Siam from the other side of the 
world. 

‘ ‘ Have you any place in mind for our camp ? ’ * 
asked Dudley. 


DOWN IN THE MOUTH 


123 


“Yes; there is a spot not far up the stream, 
where I have spent the night many times, when 
hunting or going to Ayuthia. It hasn’t any 
real advantage over any other spot, except that 
I am better acquainted with it. But it is on 
the other side of this stream.’ ’ 

‘ ‘ How shall we get to it V ’ 

“By crossing the water,” was the not very 
satisfactory reply. Then, seeing he had not 
been explicit, Nughwa added : 

“There is more than one way of reaching the 
other side. The stream is not broad and we 
can swim, even with our guns. If you do not 
like to do that, we can make a raft and pole 
across, or we can go farther up the bank and 
wade. ’ ’ 

Now there are few things more tempting to a 
rugged, healthy boy than a swim on a sultry day 
in summer, but, in the present circumstances, it 
had disadvantages. The wetting of Dudley’s 
garments was of no concern, but the carrying 
of his weapon was. So he said : 

“We have so much material at hand, let’s 
make a raft; the stream is narrow and it won’t 
be hard to pole across.” 

“Your plan is the best one; we will do as you 
say. ’ ’ 

Laying aside their weapons, the two began 


124 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


gathering the wood necessary to buoy them up 
in the water. Cautioning the youth not to mis- 
take a crocodile for a prostrate tree — as he had 
once done — Nughwa passed up the bank a little 
way and called for his help in rolling a goodly 
sized trunk down the bank. This was floated 
for some rods when they came to another of 
smaller size. Then the native, with his keen- 
edged knife cut a number of running vines, 
which were used to secure the two floats side by 
side. He said the stream was no more than 
ten or twelve feet deep in the channel and it was 
easy for him to secure and trim a sapling of 
the required length. Carefully seating himself 
upon the raft, gun in hand, Dudley Mayson left 
the management of the float to his companion. 

The current carried them a few rods down 
stream, while the guide pressed the end of the 
pole against the muddy bottom. The width of 
the tributary was about a hundred yards and 
half of it had been passed, when Dudley uttered 
an exclamation: 

‘ ‘ Look ! there are the elephants ! ’ 9 

Nughwa had seen the animals before him, and 
did not stop poling. 

‘ ‘ They are not the ones we are looking for. ,, 

From the jungle almost opposite issued four 
of the bulky creatures. They did not seem to 


DOWN IN THE MOUTH 


125 


notice the raft with its two occupants, though it 
would seem that it ought to have interested them 
at once, but waded out into the stream, as if 
they intended to cross to the side which our 
friends had just left. 

“They are not afraid of us,” said Dudley, 
‘ ‘ I wonder if they will attack. ’ ’ 

4 1 They will give us notice if they do ; we won ’t 
disturb them if they leave us alone . ’ 9 

The native ceased poling, in order that the 
two might drift below the point where the ele- 
phants had come into the water. While those 
animals sometimes give no heed to a hunter, 
unless he shows a desire to harm them, they are 
apt to resent any interference on the part of 
strangers. It cannot be said that Nughwa held 
them in any special fear, for he had captured or 
slain too many of their species, but he viewed 
the companionship of the young American as an 
element of weakness, and the circumstances 
were such that he meant to avoid a collision 
with the herd, if it could be done. 


CHAPTER XII 


GIANTS AT PLAY 

T HE four elephants entered the stream and 
waded out for two or three rods, when 
they had sunk deep enough in the water 
for it to reach their brown, bulky bodies. Then 
the fun began. 

Sucking up the fluid in their trunks, they 
spurted it not only over themselves, but over 
one another. The performance resembled that 
of a number of sportive firemen, playing with 
several lines of hose. The streams sometimes 
struck an animal broadside, splashing and 
spraying in all directions; then one of them 
would receive it in his face; and, blinking and 
blinded for the moment, would retaliate by bom- 
barding the comrade who was teasing him. 

Nughwa and Dudley May son allowed their 
float to drift far enough with the current to 
take them out of range of the watery battle, 
which might have become anything but com- 
fortable. The native wondered that the ani- 
mals did not charge upon them. 

126 


GIANTS AT PLAY 


127 


“If they do,” he quietly said, “leave them 
to me.” 

“But what shall I do?” 

“Look on and see the fun I’ll have; if they 
persist, I will shoot the first, and then take your 
gun and shoot the second.” 

“That will leave two and both our guns be 
empty. ’ 9 

‘ 6 Likely it will cause the others to flee ; I think 
the shooting of the first will scare the others 
away. ’ ’ 

“But, if it does not?” 

‘ ‘ Then we must hurry and load again ; if we 
do not lag, we shall have time, and with two 
rifles, we can take care of the same number of 
elephants; these are not very large, hut they 
may be savage. ’ 9 

Nughwa began using the pole, and gradually 
working the raft toward land. Finally, he 
touched shore about a hundred yards below the 
group that were having so much sport in the 
water. They still acted as if they saw nothing 
of the man and boy, though of course it was im- 
possible that they should be ignorant of their 
presence. The huge creatures enjoyed their 
hath. There could be no mistake about that, for 
they frequently trumpeted, not with anger, as is 
generally the case, but with pleasure. The 


128 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


water was churned into a muddy mixture by 
their tramping to and fro, and the hose worked 
without cessation, splashing against the massive 
sides, on the huge fronts, and sometimes curv- 
ing far over in the air and striking the surface 
rods distant. 

The picture was so ludicrous, that after the 
two had stepped out on the bank, they paused 
to watch it. The danger here was less than 
when afloat, for they had space in which to move 
about and fight the elephants, should it become 
necessary. Even Dudley felt able to. dodge 
them until he could bring his gun into play a 
second time. 

A few minutes after their landing, they were 
surprised to see a fifth elephant issue from the 
jungle, hurry out in the stream and join the 
others. This fellow was only about half grown 
and was the embodiment of mischief itself. He 
was like a colossal pup, whose spirits run away 
with him, and who could no more restrain his 
propensities than he could stop his own breath- 
ing. 

The first thing he did was to seize the wig- 
gling tail of the biggest animal and give it a 
wrenching yank that caused the owner to swing 
around with an angry grunt and make for the 
impertinent youngster. The latter was pre- 


GIANTS AT PLAY 


129 


pared, lurched out the way and sent a stream 
of muddy water, as if shot from a steam hose, 
squarely into the eyes of the larger one, who 
was so bewildered that he stopped, flung up his 
head to lift his eyes out of range, and waited 
for the chance to charge the impudent youth. 

The latter splashed a few paces, grasped the 
nearest tail and gave it a tug that must have 
loosened the roots. The indignant victim 
reared on his hind feet, and using them as a 
pivot whirled round to punish the intruder. 
The size of the latter gave him an advantage, 
for he was nimbler, and could plunge here and 
there, as a more active boy eludes the efforts of 
his playmates to run him down. 

You know the elephant is one of the most in- 
telligent animals in the world. The little fel- 
low, having involved himself with the two 
largest members of the herd, confined his at- 
tentions for the time to them. He knew it 
would not do to have the four form a syndicate 
to crush him, for they would be sure to do it 
with a vigor that would leave him no recourse 
except to retreat ignominiously. 

Nothing could have pleased the two elephants 
more than to have the sport go on as it had be- 
gun. They liked to witness the pestering of 
their companions, and, so long as they them- 

9 


130 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


selves were not disturbed, they would encourage 
the fun as best they could. So they ceased 
playing the hose and calmly looked on. 

The youngster found as it was that he had 
his hands full. The big fellows plunged and 
lurched after him, both dashing the streams at 
his eyes and compelling him to do the liveliest 
kind of dodging to escape disaster. His agility 
was remarkable, for though hindered by the 
water on all sides, he was here, there, and any- 
where, now and then eluding the two with aston- 
ishing celerity. Not always did he succeed. 
The biggest of all, whom he had first rashly at- 
tacked, managed to thrust his tusks under the 
body of his tormenter and roll him over as if 
he were a huge log. He would have half- 
drowned the youngster, had not one of the spec- 
tators interfered at the critical moment. He 
“ butted in” with such vigor that the assailant 
of the youth was compelled to desist just as he 
had his victim at his mercy, and the large one 
was about to reinforce him. A minute more 
and the two would have made the youngster pay 
dearly for his ill manners. 

The interference of the couple that had been 
looking on, however, changed in a twinkling 
the aspect of the situation. The active ones had 
to desist and unite against the assault of the 


GIANTS AT PLAY 


131 


two who ought to have kept out of the row. 
Quick to see his advantage, the little fellow re- 
covered his feet, and plowed off to a safe dis- 
tance, alert for an opening into which he could 
plunge, for his temporary overthrow had not 
frightened him in the least, but rather whetted 
his appetite for mischief. 

Now, ingratitude is among the basest of 
crimes, and you would think that the young ele- 
phant would have felt nothing but thankfulness 
for the friend who had put in his oar when the 
youngster was in such sore need of help. In 
truth, he should have shown this gratitude to 
both, for he could not but be aware of what they 
had done for him. It would hardly do to say 
that he was lacking in such feeling, but, if so, 
he took a queer way of showing it. None the 
less, he was the victim of his own irrestrainable 
love for fun. 

He filled his trunk as full of water as it could 
hold. Not only that, but he thrust the end 
down into the mud as far as he could and still 
work it. Thus, when he drew it up, it was 
loaded with a fluid that contained as much black 
sediment as water. Then approaching as near 
as he dared to the disputing elephants, he made 
ready to fire. 

The one who had driven the leader away from 


132 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


his assault on the youth noticed the action, and 
backed off several paces in order to enjoy the 
treat that was at hand. He saw the youngster 
raise his trunk, aim carefully and then eject the 
muddy stuff with all the force he could com- 
mand. 

But at the instant of doing so, he diverted the 
aim, and plastered the eyes and forehead of the 
spectator with the compound, the shock almost 
driving him over on his haunches. To think of 
the little fellow doing this to the one that had 
just proved himself his friend! Was ever such 
an outrage known? 

Dudley Mayson roared. Even Nughwa, who 
like him, was watching the frisky youth, shook 
with merriment. It was one of the funniest 
things he had ever witnessed, and stamped the 
young elephant as a humorist of the first class. 

None the less, he ought to have been ashamed 
of himself, for it was a mean return for favors 
received. As if to complete the record of base- 
ness, the youth let fly with another roiled charge 
at the front of the second one that had be- 
friended him. Thus he had insulted the two 
that had come to his relief when driven to the 
wall. 

It would have served these right if the other 
couple, that had been pestered by the youngster 


GIANTS AT PLAY 


133 


from the first, had joined him in tormenting the 
verdant ones. Perhaps they would have done 
so, had they not known he could not be trusted. 
Any young elephant who would act as he had 
just acted could not he depended upon, except 
to do the wrong thing, and they did not mean to 
give him a chance to do that. 

Wrongdoing rarely goes unpunished. The 
baseness of the sportive youngster instead of 
holding his enemies divided, brought them to- 
gether, and the whole four now charged upon 
him. No one could help admiring the nimble- 
ness and skill with which he defended himself 
for a time ; but the combination was too strong. 
He was pressed so hard that he was compelled 
to give ground or rather water. He swam, 
dived, threshed and plunged to and fro, but the 
attacks were incessant and he was not given 
time to rally or pull himself together. Four 
streams of animal hose converged at the same 
moment upon his head and eyes. He ducked 
under the surface to get out of the way, but 
he could not stay long, and, when his head re- 
appeared, you would have thought it was a brick 
wall which a party of firemen were trying to 
heat down, as they sometimes do, by playing 
several streams against it. 

It did not take the young fellow long to com- 


134 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


prehend that he had made a blunder. If I may 
be permitted to use a slang expression, he was 
“up against it,” with a vengeance. He could 
not get out of the trap any too soon. He must 
either swim for the farther shore, or take refuge 
on the one he had just left. After a moment’s 
indecision, he concluded to try the latter, for 
that was nearer at hand. 

He was too wise to attempt to make his way 
through the party that barred his path, for that 
would have been walking directly into the trap 
from which he just freed himself. So he began 
swimming, with his trunk pointed toward the 
most distant bank. The four did not care to 
pursue him, for bathing was more pleasant. 
They withdrew their attention from the tor* 
mentor, of whom they were glad to be rid, and 
resumed their sport among themselves. 

But, as I have said, the young fellow did not 
mean to cross the stream. As soon as he per- 
ceived that attention was withdrawn from him, 
he turned down the current, making a wide cir- 
cuit and finally heading for land again. The 
manoeuvre brought him quite close to Nughwa 
and Dudley Mayson, who never in all their lives 
enjoyed anything more. At the suggestion of 
the native, they moved back a few paces, in 
order not to alarm the fellow, toward whom they 


GIANTS AT PLAY 


135 


naturally felt a strong liking. There was some- 
thing so human in what he had done, that he 
was drawn near to them. 

Nughwa' who knew so much about the Elephas 
IndicuSy was surprised that the young one, now 
that he was brought so near them, acted as if he 
had not the remotest knowledge of their proxim- 
ity. He emerged from the stream, with the 
water dripping from his shaggy hide, and then, 
with an innocent expression or rather manner, 
tramped into the jungle and passed from view. 

‘ ‘ He acts as if he has had enough of the big 
fellows/ ’ said Dudley, in an undertone. 

“Not by any means ; that isn’t the last of him; 
he is figuring out some new trick, and it won’t 
be long before he springs it on them. That fel- 
low will be nothing but a bundle of mischief 
until he gets his full growth and is sobered by 
age. 

“It won’t be dark for some time, Nughwa; 
let’s wait and see more of the performance.” 

The native was quite willing, especially be- 
cause he had formed a belief concerning the 
brute that had just vanished, of which he took 
care not to hint to the youth. Standing farther 
up stream than Dudley, he took care to hold his 
attention so that he did not glance to the rear, 
— that is down stream. He was not likely to do 


136 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


so anyway, since the bathing elephants were in 
the opposite direction. 

Thus it was that by and by Nughwa caught 
sight of a dark body moving through the under- 
growth. It was the young elephant, who ad- 
vanced absolutely without noise. Coming to 
the shore of the stream, he again filled his trunk 
with muddy water. Then Nughwa saw through 
the foliage the head of the creature turned to- 
ward him. He appeared to be standing still, 
but as the leaves kept noiselessly moving from 
the front of his head, it was evident he was 
stealing closer to the couple. Young as he was, 
he had learned that strange craft which enables 
his kind to move through the jungles as silently 
as an Indian scout reconnoitering a hostile 
camp. 

Nughwa immediately devoted himself to en- 
gaging the whole attention of his young friend. 
He was sure from the frequent glances the four 
adults cast at the wood that, they were expecting 
the coming of the young nuisance and a renewal 
of his annoyances. Dudley did not take his at- 
tention from the herd for a single moment. 

Meanwhile, Nughwa could not restrain his de- 
light over what was coming. He saw the young 
elephant stealing forward until he stood within 
ten feet of the lad, who had never a thought 


GIANTS AT PLAY 


137 


that, he was anywhere near him. The animal 
paused. He had reached the right point for 
making a bull’s eye. 

‘ 4 What pleases you so much?” asked the 
wondering Dudley; “you seem hardly able to 
stand. ’ ’ 

“Did you ever see anything so funny as that 
youngster? He got the better of the older ones 
and they are sure to hear from him again; 
pretty soon you will laugh — ” 

At that instant, the mischievous subject of 
these remarks, let fly. He drove the stream 
with such force that it shot out. almost horizon- 
tally, but, instead of landing on the neck and 
head of the lad, it missed him by a foot and 
struck the unsuspecting Nughwa full in the face 
and open mouth, sending him over on his back, 
with his heels kicking the air. 

Dudley Mayson was avenged. 


CHAPTER XIII 


NIGHT IN THE JUNGLE 

S UCH an experienced hunter as Nughwa 
ought to have looked out for the liquid 
cannon shot. He had seen only a short 
time before, a similar trick performed by the 
young elephant upon his older companions, hut 
he never dreamed of anything of the kind, until 
he received the tremendous bolt fair and square. 

The startled Dudley looked behind him. The 
mischief-maker had exhausted his supply of 
ammunition, and, wheeling about, plunged 
through the jungle, without any effort to move 
silently. He had had his fun and was ready 
to join his companions by a roundabout course. 
Then, as the youth turned his gaze, and saw his 
friend climbing to his feet, blinking, gasping 
and wiping the muddy water from his coun- 
tenance, he understood all that had taken place. 

And then didn’t Dudley laugh? He stag- 
gered about and finally sank to the ground 
overcome with merriment. Nughwa did his 
best to join him in his mirth, but it was hard. 
138 




Flipped the crocodile’s craggy head with his paw 


NIGHT IN THE JUNGLE 


139 


1 ‘You saw him sneaking up behind me, eh? 
You kept my attention on the others, so as to 
prevent my looking around; you thought he 
meant to dowse me, and instead of that, he let 
you have it right in your grinning face. Oh, 
how I love that young fellow ; I ’d like to throw 
my arms around his trunk and embrace him.” 

“I wish you would try it,” growled Nughwa. 

There was no ill-nature, however, about the 
guide, even when the victim of such a joke as 
had just been played on him. He remarked that 
they had already wasted a good deal of time, 
and night was so near, that they ought to be 
moving on. 

4 4 All right ; you are the leader ; this has been 
a time of rare enjoyment, but, Nughwa, don’t 
travel too fast, please.” 

“Why not?” 

“When I think of the picture you made as you 
tumbled over on your back from that shot of the 
young elephant, — why, Nughwa, I am weak. 
How you would have laughed if I had served as 
the target instead of you?” 

4 4 1 hope you will, ’ ’ thought the native, though 
he did not speak the words. 

When a little distance above the herd of 
elephants, the two paused for a minute or two, 
to see how the animals were getting on. The 


140 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


four had grown tired of bathing and were cross- 
ing the stream. Near the middle, the depth 
forced them to swim for a short way, but soon 
their broad backs heaved up in sight, and they 
lumbered to the other shore. 

“And I declare!” exclaimed Dudley; “that 
^youngster is with them!” 

Such was the fact. He was at the rear, and 
because of his less stature, had to swim a little 
farther than the others, before walking. The 
four accepted him as one of themselves and 
did not disturb him. 

“I wonder they don’t punish him for his 
tricks,” said Dudley. 

“I guess he must have told them of the fun 
he had with us — that is with me — and they don’t 
mind such a little affair as the one with them. 
You must remember, too, that they got the bet- 
ter of him and drove him ashore. ’ ’ 

“If only an elephant could laugh, those four 
would fall down and drown, when he described 
how he played it on you. Wait one minute, 
please, Nughwa, till I get my strength again.” 

“I would walk faster than ever, if we hadn’t 
reached the place where we are to camp for the 
night,” replied the native, with an odd grimace 
at the youth, who certainly can be excused for 
his merriment. 


. NIGHT IN THE JUNGLE 


141 


By this time, it was so dark that in the shadow 
of the jungle, Dudley could make little use of his 
eyes. They had come to a small, natural clear- 
ing or opening, not more than a couple of rods 
in width, where there was no undergrowth, 
though the grass was exuberant, as it always is 
in a tropical forest. This had been tramped 
down by Nughwa himself, and he had gathered 
on his way out a pile of dried and green 
branches, sufficient to keep a blaze going for a 
number of hours. In fact, he explained that 
when on his way to Ayuthia, he had made these 
preparations in the expectation that he and his 
charge would spend the one night on the road at 
the place. 

Neither cared to add anything in the way of 
food to the mangosteen eaten some hours be- 
fore. Nughwa carried a rubber box of lucifer 
matches, with one of which he started the fire 
that soon cast a glow on the stream behind them, 
and revealed the dark outline of the opposite 
bank. The native drew forth his long-stemmed 
pipe of red clay, filled it with tobacco from his 
pouch, and, seated on the ground, sank into one 
of the reveries to which he was subject. Dudley 
had already noticed these moods, brief as was 
the time they had spent together, and he was 
curious to know the cause. Was it some inci- 


142 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


dent that had lately occurred which gave him 
food for thought, or was it constitutional with 
him? He was tempted to question Nughwa, but 
decided that it would be better taste not to do 
so. 

The two had been seated only a short time, 
when the youth observed a remarkable ex- 
hibition which he set out to investigate. Leav- 
ing his gun lying on the ground, within easy 
reach of the native, he walked the few steps nec- 
essary to the edge of the water, and looked up 
stream. That which he saw I believe is wit- 
nessed in no part of the world except Farther 
India. The jungle was alive with fireflies, or 
‘ ‘ lightning-bugs, ’ ’ as some call them in this 
country. The tiny points of light were twin- 
kling everywhere, just as you have noticed many 
a time, but the remarkable sight which Dudley 
Mayson witnessed was this : 

Every limb and leaf on a large tree would be 
covered with the insects with all as dark as mid- 
night. Then, at the same instant, the myriads 
would unmask the lamps with which nature had 
provided them. It was as if innumerable tiny, 
electric bulbs were set aglow at the same instant 
by the pressing of a button. By and by, as if 
the thumb were removed, the myriads would 
be swallowed up in darkness again. 


NIGHT IN THE JUNGLE 


143 


Imagine yourself standing on the bank of a 
stream flowing through the Siamese forest, and 
watching the picture. Suddenly a gigantic cone 
would flash out its thousands of fiery points, 
glow for a few minutes, and then give way to 
impenetrable gloom. Near by another tree 
would repeat the same exhibition. Above, be- 
low and across the stream, everywhere in the 
whole field of vision, scores and hundreds of 
trees of varying heights kept up this wonderful 
display for hours at a time. 

Selecting a single tree, it would have seemed 
that the lighting was automatic, as I have de- 
scribed. It certainly was marvelous that the 
multitudes of insects should flash out so vividly, 
and then hide themselves in darkness at the 
same instant. These large fire-flies cluster only 
on certain kinds of vegetation, avoiding all 
others, and the exhibition which they give is 
one of the most remarkable of the tropical 
jungles. 

Dudley Mayson stood watching the singularly 
beautiful picture until he grew weary, when he 
returned to the camp fire. It was so low that he 
flung several sticks on the blaze and seated him- 
self opposite his friend, who was smoking, as 
if still sunk in a reverie. He was roused by 
the action of the lad. 


144 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“What were yon looking at so long?” he 
asked. 

“Those fire-flies; they are the most cnrions 
things I ever saw. ’ ’ 

Nughwa smiled. They were an old story to 
him. 

“Your good father tells me he never saw such 
until he came to Siam. ’ ’ 

“I never heard of them before.” 

“Many things must strike you as strange, as 
others would strike me, if I visited your coun- 
try. ’ ’ 

“Yes; Nughwa, I do not hear anything of the 
birds of which we saw so many to-day.” 

“Most of them are asleep, but the wild 
animals and creeping things are not; night 
seems to be the time when they love to hunt 
food and to fight with one another.” 

“The fire must be a great protection?” 

“It would not do to camp for the night with- 
out a fire; all wild animals hold it in such fear 
that it is one’s only safety.” 

“It is too much for you to keep awake the 
night through to prevent the fire going out. ’ ’ 

“I do not intend to do that.” 

“That is right; we will share the watch be- 
tween us.” 

“No; you think you could keep awake, but 


NIGHT IN THE JUNGLE 145 

you cannot. It reminds me of the time your 
good father and I went on a hunt in the jungle 
to the north of the station. He is a good hunter 
and has passed through many dangers, even 
in his own country. When the time came for 
camping, he insisted that he should be allowed 
to stand guard until past midnight, when lie 
promised to awake me to take his place. I told 
him I was afraid he would fall asleep, and he 
asked me if I thought it possible, after he had 
shot a tiger during the afternoon and we were 
expecting to meet others. 

“He insisted so hard that I agreed to divide 
the night as he wished. He carried a watch 
and assured me I should be awakened at one 
o’clock exactly, for you know the latter part 
of the night is harder than the first for one to 
keep awake.” 

“Did you have any doubt of father?” asked 
Dudley with a smile. 

“Well, I thought the chances were about 
even ; it is easy enough for a man to keep awake 
when he is on his feet and walking all the time. 
Then he is able to fight off slumber, but it takes 
long experience for one to hold his eyes open 
while sitting on the ground. Not many 
can do so, though it has been easy for me, ever 
since I became an elephant-catcher. So I said 
10 


146 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


to myself, before closing my eyes, that I must 
open them again a little after midnight. Yonng 
as yon are, you know you have only to fix on a 
certain minute for you to awake and you will 
do it.” 

“It works sometimes with me, but not al- 
ways. ’ 9 

“Well, I opened my eyes at the time I had 
set and would have laughed had the situation 
not been so dangerous. Your father was sit- 
ting across the fire from me, his head bowed on 
his breast, and sound asleep. While I was ask- 
ing myself whether I should awake him or let 
him continue to slumber, I heard a rustling a 
little to the right, and, looking there, caught the 
glitter of a pair of large eyes. 

“Those eyes belonged to a great tiger, and he 
was waiting for the fire to sink a little lower be- 
fore leaping out of the gloom upon your good 
father: that moment would have come within 
the next quarter of an hour. ’ 9 

‘ ‘ My gracious ! ’ ’ gasped Dudley, awed by the 
picture; “what a narrow escape!” 

“It was, but no harm came to the good mis- 
sionary. I couldn’t have asked a better aim, 
and the bullet that I lodged between the eyes 
killed the tiger before he knew what hurt him. 
Certain that others of his kind were not far off, 


NIGHT IN THE JUNGLE 


147 


I quickly stirred tlie fire and flung more wood 
on it. Your father could, hardly believe he had 
fallen asleep, until he saw the proof. He re- 
proached himself very much, but I told him he 
should not do so, for not one man in a hundred, 
when placed in his situation, would fail to do 
just as he had done. You may be sure he and 
I did little sleeping for the rest of the night. ’* 

“How are you going to manage it, Nughwa, 
when you dare not trust me and you say you 
mean to sleep a part of the timer* 

“I will throw enough wood on the blaze to 
last two or three hours, and then wake up and 
throw on more ; I will keep that up till the night 
is over ; thus I will get all the sleep I need and 
also keep watch: what do you think of the 
plan?” 

“It sounds well enough; you say you can 
wake whenever you wish, but it seems to me it 
is risky to have us both asleep at the same time, 
for some wild animals might steal closer than 
you think.** 

“I have tried the plan many times and it has 
never failed. * * 

“Well, Nughwa, it is not for me to criticise 
one who knows more in five minutes about this 
part of the world than I shall know in my life- 
time. I am sure I could keep awake for two or 


148 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


three hours, for it will be that long before my 
regular time for retiring comes, hut it remains 
for you to say. Of course I cannot be certain, 
but I still cannot see why a fellow couldn ’t keep 
awake if he really made up bis mind to and 
kept thinking about it all the time. ’ ’ 


CHAPTER XIV 


THE SECOND MORNING IN THE JUNGLE 

44T HAVE read that hunters in countries like 
this sometimes build a circle of fires and 
sleep in the centre of the ring.” 

“So they do,” replied Nughwa, “but I be- 
lieve that is more the custom in certain parts of 
Africa, where lions are so plenty that you meet 
them at every turn. I did it a few times when 
in the country of the Laos, but there is no need 
of it here.” 

“I have seen pictures, too, of men sleeping in 
hammocks suspended in the trees.” 

“I have done that many a time, and it isn’t 
a bad plan, for you can place yourself so far 
above the ground that not even a tiger can reach 
you by jumping, but I have not done it for more 
than a year, because of what befell me.” 

“What was that?” 

“Well, several bad things happened, enough 
to make any man feel uncomfortable. Once, 
after starting a good fire, I settled myself to 

149 


150 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


rest, and was just sinking into a doze, when I 
heard a growl which I knew the meaning of the 
instant it struck my ear. But the terrifying 
thing about that growl was that it did not come 
from the ground, but from the air. One of the 
biggest tigers India ever produced had come 
prowling around the camp and caught sight of 
the hammock in the glow of the firelight. He 
knew what was in it and he meant to have the 
man for his supper. So he squatted down and 
made the greatest jump of his life. 

“I thought I was too high to be reached by 
such creatures, hut that tiger came just a little 
too near. He bounded up in the air, and his 
head, at the top of the curve he made, must have 
swept only a foot or so below the lowest part 
of the hammock. As he whizzed past, he made 
a stroke at me with one of his paws. He ripped 
out a big piece of the hammock and tore off a 
part of my clothing and a big patch of skin. 

“By the time that was done I was pretty 
wide awake. If I hadn’t been, I should have 
slipped through the hole in the hammock and 
right into the claws of the animal.” 

“Did he trouble you any further?” 

“No,” replied Nughwa with a smile, “nor 
anyone else; he gathered himself for another 
leap, but he rose only a few feet from the 


THE SECOND MORNING IN THE JUNGLE 151 

ground, when he dropped hack and stayed 
there. ’ ’ 

“And that ended your sleeping in a ham- 
mock ? ’ 9 

“No; I tried it a few days later, taking care 
to hang the bed so high that no creature could 
jump to it.” 

“I should think they would climb the tree 
and attack you from above.” 

‘ ‘ Such things have been done, though it never 
happened to me. The worst experience I had 
was not many miles from this spot, and only a 
few weeks after my experience with the tiger. 
I was at a safe height in my hammock, when a 
monkey gnawed the rope at the head of my bed 
in two, and I turned two or three back somer- 
saults on my way to the ground. I believe that 
fellow saw what a tine chance he had for some 
fun, and called about fifty other monkeys to 
enjoy the sight. I had kindled a fire and there 
was a full moon, so they all had a good view; 
when I struck the earth, they screeched with 
delight.” 

“You must have been hurt.” 

“I was pretty well shaken up, but my fall 
was broken by passing through the limbs on my 
way down. As it was, I suffered several weeks 
from a lame back.” 


152 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“I don’t see that anyone is safe in this coun- 
try, Nughwa.” 

4 ‘Nor anywhere in the world,” said the guide 
reverently. “We are in the hands of God, and 
He does all things well. In His own good time 
He will take us to His home. I walk the woods 
as I walk through my own home — thinking no 
evil and yet ready to go whenever He chooses to 
call me to Him.” 

A twinge of reproof went to the heart of Dud- 
ley Mayson that he should receive a rebuke from 
an Asiatic, born and educated in the false 
doctrine of Buddhism. He hastened to recall 
his complaining remark, and to express his 
regret that he had been thoughtless enough to 
make it. 

It was yet comparatively early in the evening, 
and Nughwa resumed smoking his pipe, of 
which he was fond, while the lad, seated on the 
other side of the fire, looked into the dusky 
countenance, and listened to the words that he 
always found entertaining and often instructive. 

Suddenly Dudley sprang to his feet and 
glanced behind him. 

“What frightens you?” asked the native 
without rising, but looking keenly at him. 

“Something is in the bushes there; I don’t 


THE SECOND MORNING IN THE JUNGLE 153 

know whether it is an animal or some kind of 
reptile. ’ ’ 

“I do,” calmly remarked Nughwa; 4 ‘ come 
away and leave it to me.” 

From the fact that Nughwa had seized a stick 
instead of his rifle, Dudley thought the disturb- 
ing cause was not a quadruped. He stepped 
aside, wisely leaving the settlement of the mat- 
ter to the veteran of the jungle. He assumed 
a crouching posture, his right hand extended 
with the stick and cautiously parting the under- 
growth at the edge of the clearing, his appear- 
ance and pose indicating alertness. 

The groping failed to reveal the intruder, and 
Nughwa backed away several paces and picked 
up a brand from the camp fire. Holding this 
above his head in his left hand, he slowly moved 
it to and fro, carefully drawing near the spot 
where the rustling had been heard. He did not 
go so far as before, but still crouching with his 
face thrust forward, continued to wave the torch 
to the right and left. 

Suddenly the listening youth heard a soft 
hissing, and then the flat, triangular head of a 
serpent was thrust upward among the shrub- 
bery. Before it could advance, as it doubtless 
intended to do, Nughwa made a catdike leap 
forward and struck a blow with the stick that 


154 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


was done so quickly that Dudley hardly caught 
the movement. The stroke was repeated with 
the same deftness, and then, inserting the stick 
beneath the reptile, Nughwa flung it several 
rods back among the trees, with the simple re- 
mark: 

“It will bother us no more.” 

“What sort of a reptile was it?” asked the 
wondering Dudley. 

“A fire serpent. It is the only creature I 
know of that is attracted by fire; instead of 
keeping away from it, some attraction draws it 
toward the blaze.” 

“What would that one have done if you had 
not killed it ? ” 

‘ ‘ It would have crept into the open and gone 
as near the fire as the heat would allow.” 

“It was directly behind me and would have 
had to pass me quite close.” 

“That wouldn’t have given it any trouble,” 
was the significant remark of Nughwa; “it 
would have halted long enough on the way to 
bite your arm or leg or hand or face, and then 
glided on. As for you, that would have been 
the last of the son of the good missionary. ’ 9 

“Ugh! what a horrible country; has it many 
fire serpents ? 9 9 

“No; fortunately they are few. I remember 


THE SECOND MORNING IN THE JUNGLE 155 

a party of three hunters who were picking their 
way through the jungle one night with torches, 
when they were so bothered by fire serpents that 
they had to put out their lights and go into 
camp . ’ 9 

i ‘ Did they not kindle a fire as we have done . 9 9 

“Yes, and were visited by more serpents, but 
it was easy to slay them as they glided forth, 
and by and by the stock gave out. But the 
night is passing, and it is well for you to sleep. ’ ’ 

Dudley Mayson had passed through so many 
strange experiences during the day that he felt 
as if he could not close his eyes until safe within 
his own home ; but he was wearied of body, and, 
sooner than would be supposed, he drifted into 
dreamland, and when he opened his eyes, the 
light of morning was stealing through the 
jungle. 

The young American awoke in high spirits, 
for the blissful thought which first came to him 
was that if all went well, he would be with his 
loved ones before the setting of the day’s sun. 

‘ t Six years since we saw each other, ’ 9 he re- 
peated, as he had done many a time since sail- 
ing from the other side of the world; “won’t 
they be glad to see me and won’t I be glad to 
see them! God be with us all!” he reverently 
added, as he knelt in his morning’s devotions. 


156 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


Nughwa had been awake for a full hour. The 
fire had been allowed to die out, for there was 
no need of it in that sultry climate. Coffee, tea 
or chocolate was not among their necessities, 
though the lad would have been pleased to drink 
any one of them. The meals consisted wholly 
of fruit, of which, as you know, there is no end 
in the tropical forests. 

The native had brought a number of mango- 
steens, bananas and durians. The last, he 
spoke of as the king of fruits, and yet, to 
the foreigner, its odor and taste at first 
are almost unbearable. This was the oc- 
casion when Dudley took one of the speci- 
mens in hand, but the instant he raised, it 
to his lips, he was seized with such a nausea 
that he flung it from him, nor could he be per- 
suaded for the time to touch it again. I may 
as well repeat, however, that it did not seem 
quite so horrible, when he tried it later in the 
day, and he had been in Siam less than a week, 
when he grew extravagantly fond of it, and 
such is the experience of most persons from 
other climes. 

“The day will be warmer than yesterday,’ ’ 
said Nughwa, when each, gun in hand, resumed 
the journey toward the missionary station of 
Wahta-Shat. 


THE SECOND MORNING IN THE JUNGLE 157 

“That isn’t the best prospect in the world, 
but I never felt stronger, and I am so eager to 
get home that you needn’t spare me. What 
about the trail of the elephants f ’ ’ 

“We shall follow that, and it continues in the 
right direction.” 

This was fortunate, for the tropical depths 
are so dense and tangled with vines, creeping 
plants and enormous trees that it is often hard 
for a horse or man to force his way among them. 
There are many portions of the world, such as 
the depths of the Brazilian forests, and in the 
Andaman Islands, where explorers are able to 
make headway only by climbing from branch to 
branch a considerable distance above ground. 

A broken road farther to the south connected 
Wahta-Shat and Ayuthia, and it had been trav- 
ersed by Nughwa and the missionary on horse- 
back, and once or twice with elephants, but the 
native preferred the course through the jungle, 
where he was able to keep to a certain trail, and 
was in no danger of losing his way. At the 
same time, he ran no risk of meeting strangers 
against whom he seemed to hold a prejudice, 
even when they belonged to his own race. 

The exuberant foliage shut out the sun’s rays, 
which was fortunate for the younger traveler, 
since in an open plain the flaming heat would 


158 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


have been of smiting intensity. Nughwa kept 
furtive watch of his companion, and long before 
midday, saw he was presuming too much on his 
strength. 

“You are not used to this climate,” he gently 
said, slowing his pace; “after you have lived 
and hunted in Siam for a few months, you won’t 
mind it more than I.” 

“It is rather trying, Nughwa, hut the best way 
to get used to it is to keep going.” 

“Not beyond what you can stand. Then you 
must remember there is no need of haste ; what 
harm would it do to pass another night in the 
jungle?” 

“Is there any probability of that f” sharply 
asked Dudley, glancing at the swarthy counte- 
nance, which was as devoid of expression as a 
wooden man’s. 

“I hope not, but you know how uncertain 
everything is in this world; the distance to the 
station is so short that we ought to make it be- 
fore dusk, even if we rest by the way, which we 
may as well do now.” 

They had reached a small tributary of the 
stream which had served them for a part of the 
distance as guide. The water was not only 
clearer, but cooler, and the draught which Dud- 
ley Mayson gained by lying flat on his face, 


THE SECOND MORNING IN THE JUNGLE 159 

after the manner of most American youths, was 
grateful and refreshing. His friend told him 
they would wait an hour or so, and the rest was 
welcome indeed to the youth, who stretched out 
on the soft grass, feeling as if he could enjoy 
nothing more than to lie thus for the rest of the 
day. 

So far on the second day in the jungle, they 
had seen nothing of elephants, tigers, boars, 
rhinoceroses, elks, deer or other animals, though 
they were liable to meet them at any time. 
They were more plentiful, however, in the Laos 
country to the north. 

“I have made the journey from Wahta-Shat 
to Ayuthia and back again, ” said Nughwa, 
“without tiring my rifle on the road.” 

‘ ‘ But you met some of the animals belonging 
to this part of the world?” 

“Always, except once, when I did not see so 
much as an elephant; I crossed the spoors of 
several and just missed getting a shot at a tiger 
which I heard crashing through the jungle.” 

“Do you expect to be as fortunate to-day?” 

“I don’t know that we should call it fortunate 
to miss seeing any elephant; you know how 
much we are interested in one we saw yester- 
day.” 


CHAPTER XV 


ANOTHER CURIOSITY 


S TRETCHED out on the cool ground, with 
the delicious sensations of a lad who is 
thoroughly tired, Dudley Mayson watched 
the frolicsome monkeys, as they swung from 
limb to limb and chased one another through the 
treetops. A person can become accustomed to 
any sight, so that the scene which held him 
deeply interested at first, loses its absorbing 
charm, and he idly surveys it as he views the 
most ordinary incidents. 

The young American had lain thus for nearly 
a half hour, when he suddenly sat up with an 
exclamation of astonishment. 

4 4 What is it? ” asked his companion, who was 
reclining on the ground and smoking his pipe. 

“Siam seems to be a land of contraries,’ ’ re- 
plied Dudley. “You have told me that in no 
other part of the world are white elephants 
found.” 

“And I told you the truth, so far as I have 
been able to learn.” 


160 


ANOTHER CURIOSITY 


161 


“But you said nothing about white monkeys, 
like that one overhead.” 

‘ ‘ Where ? ’ ’ asked Nughwa, removing the pipe 
from his mouth and looking up among the 
branches. 

The youth pointed a little to the left at a 
limb some twenty feet above their heads, where 
the remarkable sight he had spoken of was to 
be seen. Perched on the limb, was one of the 
comical fellows, with a green cocoanut between 
his paws, blinking and looking down at the two 
strange-looking creatures below. He was 
rather small in size, and from pate to toe was of 
a milk white color. 

“Some animals become gray like persons, as 
they grow old, ’ ’ said Dudley ; ‘ ‘ can that be the 
cause of that monkey’s strange color?” 

“No ; age does not affect his kind in that way; 
that is the second one I have seen in my life- 
time; he is not more than two or three years 
old.” 

“He is such a curiosity that he must be 
valuable; I am sure that Barnum, our great 
showman, would pay a big price for him. ’ ’ 

“Why not catch this one then and send him 
to the showman you speak of?” 

“I wish I could, but I fear it will be as hard 


11 


162 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


as for us to make the white elephant a prisoner. 
Which is thought of more highly ?” 

‘ ‘ The white elephant, hut our king will pay a 
big price for every white monkey that is brought 
to him. ’ ’ 

“Why does he place so much value upon 
them ? 9 y 

“Because the creatures deserve it. They are 
called paja, and like the white elephant, have 
attendants and officers to look after their wants. 
You know the monkey is a man, though we can- 
not call him beautiful in appearance.” 

“I have heard him spoken of as our brother, 
but I find it hard to believe it,.” 

“All the same, he is our brother.” 

In making this Darwinian assertion, Nughwa 
uttered the belief of the Siamese people, which 
he fully shared. 

‘ ‘ If that is so, why does he not speak like the 
rest of us?” 

“He has a very good reason; he fears that if 
he should talk, the king will compel him to work 
without pay.” 

“If that were so, they would speak to one 
another when in the depths of the jungle, where 
no one would report the fact to the king.” 

“Who knows but what they do?” 

“If that were their practice, some person 


ANOTHER CURIOSITY 


163 


would have discovered it, when the monkeys 
did not know they were within earshot ; have 
you ever heard any of their words ?” 

“No, but I have been told by other hunters 
that they have overheard them speak.* ’ 

‘ ‘Don’t you believe it, Nughwa; white seems 
to be a sacred color with you.” 

“It is; when a talapoin meets a white cock, 
he salutes him, which is more honor than he 
pays to a prince of royal blood. My friend,” 
added Nughwa, laying aside his pipe and slowly 
rising to his feet ; “I think we have a chance of 
capturing that white monkey.” 

“I can’t understand how that can be done, 
for you have no ropes with you, and no man can 
climb like one of those creatures. It seems to 
me, as I said, it will be harder than making a 
prisoner of the white elephant.” 

“Yes; it is hard, and if it is done, it must be 
through some trick; if that fails it will be easy 
to shoot him.” 

“Shoot him! Of what use is a dead mon- 
key?” 

“You mistake me ; I would not kill the animal, 
but wound him so he could not get out of my 
way; then I would take him home and nurse 
him till he got well. He has not yet got his 
growth,” added the native, scrutinizing the 


164 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


creature, who still held his perch on the limb 
and stared down at the couple, as if he really 
knew they were talking about him; “so it would 
not take long for him to become well, that is if I 
hit him right.” 

‘ 4 That would be cruel ; I should much rather 
have him go free than have you cause him any 
hurt.” 

“I don’t want to harm him, but I think I 
could manage to do it in the right way; you 
must remember, my good friend, that I am like 
the other Siamese.” 

“I know you are a Christian, but what do 
you mean by your words ? ’ 9 

“I am poor; I have a wife and two children, 
not old enough to earn money; most of the 
Siamese look upon me with dislike because I 
gave up Buddhism for the new and true re- 
ligion.” 

“I am sure my father has taught you to be 
kind to animals as well as to men ; I have been 
told that Buddhists will not kill any animal or 
reptile if it can be avoided. ’ 9 

“That is true and there is nothing good which 
your father has not taught us,” replied Nughwa 
gratefully, “hut I do not remember that he and 
I have ever talked about white monkeys.” 

“Because there was no reason for doing so; 


ANOTHER CURIOSITY 


165 


he would be displeased, if he learned that you 
had fired your gun at this harmless creature, 
for no other purpose than to wound it into help- 
lessness.’ J 

“You are sure of that?” asked the native 
with an anxious expression of countenance. 

“As sure as that you are standing there.” 

“Then I shall not hurt the monkey,” said 
Nughwa, with a glowing face; “I did not feel 
quite right, when the thought came to me, hut 
now I do feel so, for I know you have spoken 
the truth.” 

‘ ‘ But you will try to capture the animal I ’ ’ 

“Of a surety; let us watch him for a few 
minutes . 9 9 

Dudley now rose to his feet and stood beside 
his friend, both fixing their gaze upon the in- 
teresting fellow, who was still perched on the 
limb, vivaciously munching nothing, as his kind 
are fond of doing. He kept his grasp upon the 
cocoanut, as if it were a football, and he was 
watching a chance to make a touchdown. His 
playfellows had become so accustomed to his 
unique appearance, that they gave him no more 
attention than if his hue had been the same as 
their own. 

No one can watch the antics of a party of 
monkeys, even for a few minutes, without seeing 


166 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


something amusing. Probably some of the 
others did not like it because the white one re- 
mained motionless so long. They kept up their 
swinging, chattering and running to and fro, 
paying little heed to the one that was nursing 
the cocoanut. It was not long, however, be- 
fore he caught the eye of a big fellow, that was 
shinning along a branch some feet above and 
behind the white one. He abruptly paused and 
peered down at him, as motionless for a minute 
or two as the limb on which he had halted. 

“Watch the big fellow,’ ’ whispered Nughwa; 
“he is going to have some fun with the white 
one. ’ ’ 

While the native was speaking, the larger 
creature began stealthily letting himself down 
to a branch, only a little below the other. 
There he paused long enough to twist off a 
switch six or eight feet long, with a tuft of 
leaves at the extremity. Then he silently 
thrust it toward the white fellow. 

The scene became highly laughable. The un- 
suspecting one sat down on the limb, as if it 
were an easy chair, and rested his back against 
the trunk, stretching out his legs, as if he had 
settled himself for an hour’s nap. He still held 
the fruit and his appearance suggested that he 
was fondling a baby. 


ANOTHER CURIOSITY 


167 


He was certainly interested in the man and 
hoy standing below, for with that odd, grimac- 
ing champing of his jaws, he never once re- 
moved his twinkling black eyes from them. His 
actions seemed to say: 

“Each of you is an odder looking monkey 
than I am: what do you think of meV’ 

Meanwhile, the big fellow was active. He 
shifted his position, so as to bring the trunk 
between him and the other, and then silently 
extended the branch in his hand. The tuft was 
hidden by the tree trunk for a minute or two, 
but by and by, our friends saw two or three 
leaves creeping around the farther side. Then 
one of them was wiggled, against the silky, hu- 
man-like ear of the other, who, mistaking it for 
a mosquito or some other insect, made a vicious 
slap at it. The big fellow deftly snatched back 
the branch and held it out of sight behind the 
trunk. 

The grotesque face of the animal, wreathed 
in white, like an old gentleman from the country, 
was too much for Nughwa and Dudley Mayson. 
They shook with mirth, for the sight of a person 
slapping at an imaginary fly or mosquito is 
always funny, and neither had ever seen any- 
thing quite so comical as the sight before them. 

You may be sure the tormenter kept busy. 


168 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


As noiselessly as a shadow creeping over a dial, 
the bunch of leaves was thrust forward again, and 
stole around the trunk of the tree, against which 
the white monkey was leaning, with his head 
turned toward the spectators below, in whom 
his interest centred. Dudley was surprised that 
the amusing performance did not interest the 
other animals. They kept up their antics 
among themselves, not once giving heed to the 
couple upon which our friends had fixed their 
attention. 

The big fellow was an artist in his way. The 
wiggling of the bunch of leaves against the ear 
was so gentle, that it perfectly imitated the 
action of a mosquito, when it alights and be- 
fore it has got down to business. The monkey 
made a quick flirt of one paw, and glanced to 
his left, as he did so. The other was so quick 
in whisking away the branch that the younger 
discovered nothing. Whatever suspicions, 
therefore, might have been awakened were 
lulled. Once more he stared down at the man 
and boy, as if he had determined to see the end 
of the queer performance from his perch be- 
yond their reach. 

Who shall fathom the mysteries of the brain 
in an intelligent animal? It may have been 
that the boisterous mirth of the bipeds below 


ANOTHER CURIOSITY 


169 


awakened a suspicion in the mind of the white 
monkey that some one was playing a trick on 
him; for, when he felt a tickling for the third 
time, he did not flirt his paw at it again, but 
leaning to one side peeped around the trunk. 

The big fellow was not expecting such discov- 
ery, and was in the act of thrusting the branch 
forward again, when the funny white face came 
into sight beside the tree. While he was much 
larger and stronger than the other, he acted as 
if scared by his detection. With a cry of alarm 
— real or pretended — he dropped the branch 
and turned to flee. The other stood up on the 
limb, balancing himself with one paw against 
the trunk, and taking quick aim with the other 
hurled the cocoanut at his tormentor. The 
monkey is not an adept at such performances, 
but, to the astonishment of the spectators, he 
sent the fruit squarely against the big one’s 
back. He was going on all fours at the moment 
along a big limb, when the impact knocked him 
off, and he went sprawling, clawing and clutch- 
ing to the ground.. 

The fall of course did not hurt him, though he 
must have been jarred by the thump from the 
cocoanut. He looked up at the white one and 
chattered ‘angrily, and the white one chattered 
back at him, as if daring him to repeat his at- 


170 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


tempt, while only one or two of the others gave 
more than a passing notice to the wrangle. 

6 4 That was one of the funniest things I ever 
saw,” said Dudley Mayson, “it made me think 
of the long summer afternoons in our country 
school, when some of the boys found they could 
not keep awake. But so sure as one of them 
laid Kis head down on the desk, just so sure an- 
other boy, who was not drowsy, began tickling 
his nose with a straw or bit of twisted paper. 
To see the poor fellow bang away at the sup- 
posed fly or mosquito made the rest of us 
snicker, and sometimes brought the gad of the 
teacher about our shoulders. The fellow who 
wasn’t allowed to sleep didn’t have any cocoa- 
nuts to throw, but he sometimes evened up mat- 
ters at recess by punching the one that had an- 
noyed him. I used to try to look innocent when 
one of the big boys roused up and stared around 
to see who was pestering him, but I didn’t 
always succeed, and he settled with me when we 
got out of doors. But, Nughwa, do you intend 
to try to capture that white monkey?” 

“I most certainly do.” 

“How?” 

“In a very few minutes you shall see.” 




CHAPTER XVI 

MAN VERSUS MONKEY 

N UHGrWA leaned his rifle against the near- 
est tree — a proceeding in direct violation 
of his own precepts ; bnt he did not walk 
far, keeping all the time in sight, and stopped 
where a thick scrubby trunk seemed to be stran- 
gled by an exuberant growth of vines and creep- 
ing plants. Dudley Mayson saw him begin pull- 
ing at these until he had dragged down a con- 
siderable bunch. From among them, he drew 
forth what looked like a telegraph wire, covered 
with a few sprouts here and there, of which he 
cleared the vine, by drawing the latter through 
his closed hands. It was several rods in length, 
and so flexible that he coiled it over his left arm, 
as if it were a clothes line. 

“This is my rope,” he said, as he walked 
back, and began making a loop at one end ; ‘ ‘ and 
if I can get that around the white monkey’s 
body or neck, I shall have him fast. ’ 9 

“We have a saying in my country, Nughwa, 
171 


172 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


that the best way to catch certain birds is to 
sprinkle salt on their tails, but the trouble is to 
get near enough to the bird, to use the salt. You 
will have the same difficulty with this fellow. 
I wonder if he lias any idea of what you are 
driving at. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ How could he V ’ 

The action of our friends caused the white 
monkey to shift his position slightly, and he 
still peered at the couple, as if not satisfied with 
their movements. Nughwa studied him for 
some minutes in silence. Dudley Mayson saw 
an important obstacle to success. 

“The vine is so light you will find it hard to 
fling the loop over his head ; it will not fly well, 
and, when he sees it coming toward him he will 
dodge it.” 

1 ‘ And he will be quick to understand the trick 
I am trying to play on him ; you are right, but 
there is a way of fixing that. ’ ’ 

He groped through the grass until he found 
a jagged piece of stone. Around this he coiled 
one end of the vine, and tied it fast. The knot 
formed the farthest extremity of the loop, so, 
as you will see, Nughwa had only to throw the 
stone accurately, in order to utilize the lasso. 

While this looked promising, another difficulty 
presented itself. It was useless to throw the 


MAN VERSUS MONKEY 


173 


stone unless through a free space, and that did 
not seem likely to offer, for limbs, trees and 
obtruding branches were everywhere. Contact 
with any one of these was almost certain to 
spoil the aim, and Nughwa, who was skilful at 
such work, had to be on the lookout for such a 
slip, for, as he had said, if the first attempt 
failed, he would not gain the chance to make a 
second against the intelligent creature. 

As if to invite a trial of wits, the white mon- 
key now dropped from his perch to the ground, 
over which he scampered several paces, and 
then whisked upon a limb not more than a dozen 
feet above the head of the alert Nughwa. 

“It is best you should keep away from me,” 
said the native in a low voice, without removing 
his eyes from the creature; “pass to the other 
side, and try to scare him over toward me. ’ ’ 

Dudley kept his gun in hand, and hurried to 
a point two or three rods from his friend. The 
peculiar actions of the couple now attracted the 
notice of nearly all the monkeys, who from their 
stations at different heights among the branches 
and forever chattering, looked down upon the 
performances of the man and boy. 

One of the exasperating features of the situa- 
tion was that several of the animals, for whom 
our friends cared nothing, whisked past the 


174 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


native so close that it would have been the eas- 
iest thing in the world to lasso them. They 
seemed really to understand that they were not 
wanted, and were in no danger, and therefore 
they kept getting in the way. Nughwa gave 
them no attention and kept stealing in and out 
among the trees, with his eyes fixed on the white 
fellow, who more than once allowed him to ap- 
proach quite near. 

By and by, the prize, after peering down at 
the man for a minute or so, scrambled out on a 
limb directly over his head. He was hardly 
twenty feet above the native, and no branch ob- 
truded to interfere with the throw. Nughwa 
held the loop loosely grasped between his thumb 
and forefinger, and saw that the right chance 
had come at last. He began whirling the loop 
about his wrist, carefully measuring the dis- 
tance, and almost certain of having the prize 
fast the next minute. 

At the crisis, the very same fellow that had 
tickled the ear of the white monkey ran along a 
limb directly below him, his larger body rising 
in such a way that he fully shielded the smaller 
one. Had the loop been thrown, it would have 
been certain to entrap him instead of the other. 

The impatient Nughwa stepped to one side to 
gain the chance he needed, but the larger one 


MAN VERSUS MONKEY 


175 


also shifted so as still to intervene. It was 
impossible that he understood the purpose of 
the white man. It must have been one of those 
perverse occurrences which are too much for 
the tempers of the best of people. 

Nughwa took a hasty step in the opposite di- 
rection. The larger animal did not move. The 
way was thus left open and he again made hasty 
preparation to fling the lasso, but, before he 
could do so, the white monkey leaped nimbly to 
another branch, and whisked behind the trunk 
of the tree, peeping out in the most tantalizing 
manner conceivable. 

Dudley Mayson stood some distance off , ab- 
sorbed in the performance. While tempted to 
smile at the disappointment of his friend, he 
sympathized too much with him to do so. He 
could understand how he felt. 

“I don’t wonder that he would like to shoot 
the creature, for I believe that is the only way 
of making him a prisoner ; I know I should feel 
angry enough to take a shot at him, but it would 
be with the purpose of killing and not merely 
wounding him — ” 

Bang! something struck the youth on his 
head, almost knocking him off his feet. 

“Who threw that stone?” he angrily de- 


176 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


manded, whirling about with his fist clenched 
and ready to punish his assailant. 

But no one had flung a missile at him. One 
of the monkeys, with a cocoanut in his grasp, 
had climbed to a point directly over the youth, 
and then dropped the fruit, doing so with such 
careful aim that it came down squarely on the 
lad’s crown. 

The occurrence filled the monkeys to bursting 
with delight. They scampered back and forth 
among the limbs, chattering their happiness. 
The rascal who had turned the trick was too 
proud to contain himself. He grimaced and 
danced hither and thither, dropped through 
three or four branches, dexterously caught him 
self with one paw, scrambled up again, and then 
came down as lightly as a feather to the ground, 
only a few paces from his victim, where he 
stood moving his jaws, as if chewing gum with 
ape-like vivacity. 

Dudley Mayson was angry enough to shoot 
him, and he brought his gun to his shoulder to 
do so, but was sharply reproved by Nughwa, 
who had turned his attention for the moment in 
that direction. 

“Do not harm him; he hasn’t hurt you; your 
skull is too thick to be harmed that way. ’ ’ 


MAN VERSUS MONKEY 


177 


“I hope you will get one on your head; then 
you will know how it feels. ’ ’ 

“I have had a good many ; so long as the husk 
is on the fruit, and you have a covering for your 
head, as you have, you can stand such things all 
day. ’ ’ 

As it was, Dudley would not have slain his 
assailant, for before he could aim, his natural 
kindness of heart asserted itself, and he lowered 
the weapon. He had not forgiven the creature 
however, and seeing him almost within reach, 
determined to punish him. 

“If you don’t know any better, you must take 
the consequences,” muttered our young friend, 
who could not have asked a finer opportunity 
than that which suddenly presented itself. 

As if the offender cared nothing further for 
the lad whom he had insulted, he turned his face 
away from him and looked at the man. Dudley 
quickly ran a few paces, and then, concentrating 
his strength in his good right foot, made the 
greatest kick of his life. 

Had the animal been where the youth ex- 
pected him to be, he would have been lifted sev- 
eral feet and sent sprawling on his face, for the 
effort was a mighty one; but the monkey was 
on the watch, and dexterously slipped out of the 
way. Nothing is more wrenching than to kick 
12 


178 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


vacancy, and the foot whizzed so high in air that 
it lifted the young man with it, and he dropped 
on his back with a thump that shook the ground. 

Intense as was the interest of Nughwa in the 
capture of the white monkey, he had ceased his 
efforts for the moment to watch the actions of 
his friend. When he saw him raised in air by 
his own performance and drop flat on his back, 
the man seemed to forget everything else. Hold- 
ing his mirth in check, he stepped to the youth, 
who had picked up his hat that had been jarred 
off, and was climbing to his feet with a very red 
face and sheepish expression. 

‘ ‘ How do you expect me to capture the white 
monkey ?” demanded the native with pretended 
anger, “when you act that way toward him?” 

“Act what way? What are you talking 
about?” 

“Isn’t he sitting on that limb away up in the 
tree? And didn’t you try to kick him off just 
now, when I was ready to throw the loop over 
his head?” 

“Nughwa, I think if you would give less at- 
tention to me and more to that white monkey 
you would have a better chance of success.” 

“I like to look at all kinds of monkeys,” re- 
marked Nughwa, with a significant glance at 
Dudley, who could not mistake his meaning. 


MAN VERSUS MONKEY 


179 


The good nature of the youth was quick to re- 
turn, and he held his comrade in too high regard 
to feel any resentment because of his jests. The 
joke was certainly on the youth, and the most 
sensible thing he could do was to accept the fact. 
None the less, it struck him as curious that 
Nughwa should withdraw his attention from the 
prize, at the time when he ought to have been 
devoting every energy toward securing it. 

“I don’t have much success in handling mon- 
keys — that’s a fact,” said Dudley; “they seem 
to get the better of me every time ; do you think 
you can lasso that creature?” 

“There seemed to be a chance once or twice, 
but he is a mighty cunning fellow and manages 
to keep out of my reach.” 

“We may as well let him go and hurry on 
home. ’ ’ 

“Not yet; you know that monkeys like to 
imitate us, and that they have a good deal of 
curiosity; I think of trying to make use of 
that. ’ ’ 

“I don’t believe it will work, but you know 
more of such things than I, and you needn’t ask 
my advice. ’ ’ 

Nughwa took considerable time to carry out 
the scheme he had formed, and displayed not a 
little originality. He first laid the loop beside 


180 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

the base of the tree into which the white animal 
had perched a few minutes before. Then he 
walked the length of the vine and dropped the 
end at his feet, where he could instantly stoop 
and catch it up. 

“ If a monkey will come down the tree and put 
his foot in that trap,” said Dudley, “he is a big- 
ger fool than I ever thought he was.” 

“ I do not expect him to do that, unless there is 
something to attract him.” 

Nughwa returned to the foot of the tree, and, 
drawing his knife thrust the point deep into the 
earth, so deeply indeed that it would have taken 
a strong effort to pull it out. His hope was 
that the white monkey would descend the trunk, 
impelled by his own curiosity, and try to get 
possession of the weapon. Should he make the 
effort, he would be quite certain to give the na- 
tive a chance to entrap him. In other words, he 
had flung out a line, baiting it with his knife, to 
catch a valuable ‘ ‘ fish. ’ ’ 

It will be seen that Nughwa ran a risk of los- 
ing his property, for one of the animals might 
snatch it out and avoid the loop. In fact, he 
did not intend to spring the trap for any of the 
creatures except the one he was after. He had 
driven the weapon so deep into the ground that 
he did not believe the most powerful monkey 


MAN VERSUS MONKEY 


181 


could extract it. Yet he might be mistaken, and 
if one of them ran off with the implement, the 
owner was not likely ever to see it again. How- 
ever, he took the chance. 

The action of the animals among the limbs 
showed they had been watching every move of 
the native, and were in a great state of mind 
over it. After whisking here and. there for 
some time, several dropped to the ground and 
made circuits around the tree, scrutinizing 
the knife whose handle projected upward 
through the loop of vine. They were inter- 
ested in it, and the hopes of both Nughwa and 
Dudley Mayson were roused when they saw the 
white monkey join the party, apparently as 
curious as any of them. If he would take the 
lead in investigation, his doom was sealed. But 
would he make the venture? 


CHAPTER XVII 


A FAILURE 

W HILE the white monkey displayed as 
much curiosity as his companions, he 
provokingly kept clear of the loop, 
which Nughwa, was on the alert to snap fast, the 
instant the chance offered. The hand of the 
guide was steady, and he did not move a muscle, 
but his nerves were tense, and he was on the 
point more than once of sharply jerking the 
line, hut waited until certain of success. 

Suddenly a big fellow stepped squarely over 
the loop into the circle made by the coil, seized 
hold of the knife handle with both paws, and 
pulled with might and main. The weapon did 
not budge. 

i ‘ Isn ’t that the fellow that hit me on my head 
with a cocoanut?” asked the excited Dudley. 

“I think he is.” 

“Give a yank to the vine and you’ll have him 
fast.” 

“I know that, but he isn’t the one I’m after.” 
182 


A FAILURE 


183 


“I wish yon would jerk his leg off; it would 
serve him right for what he did to me.” 

“Sh! you had a chance to give him a kick; 
you must fight your own battles. ,, 

The large monkey grew angry because the 
knife did not yield to his tugging. His species 
are not specially noted for strength, and it 
would have taken much more power than he 
could summon to secure the weapon. He uttered 
angry cries after his failure, and then stepped 
back to let some other one try his hand. 

The white one came forward, put one foot 
over the loop, and the hearts of the two bipeds 
beat high with hope, but just then a bigger fel- 
low crowded him aside and griped the handle. 

At this trying juncture, the white monkey 
stood with his back toward our friends, chatter- 
ing and absorbed in the efforts of his compan- 
ions. Nughwa suddenly ran forward a few 
paces, snapping back the loop as he did so, and 
it was in his grasp in a twinkling, and before 
the animals understood what he had done. One 
of them observing his quick, stealthy approach, 
emitted a warning cry. All scattered in a panic. 

At that instant, Nughwa flung the weighted 
loop with such deftness that it slipped over the 
head of the white monkey, but dropped below 
his waist before the native could make it taut. 


184 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


When he did so, however, it closed about one 
of his legs, and the prize was caught fast. 

“Hurrah! you’ve got him!” exclaimed the 
delighted Dudley. 

The prisoner uttered a scream almost human 
in its agony, went up the tree in a flash and 
threw both arms around a limb and held on like 
grim death. His movements were so quick that 
despite his seeming helplessness, he gained a 
marked advantage, which Nughwa perceived a 
moment too late. The guide ought to have 
jerked his prisoner toward him or seized him 
before he could scamper beyond his immediate 
reach. 

All that was left to Nughwa to do was to pull, 
and he did so with a vigor that seemed to 
lengthen the body of the simian, which clung 
fast with a resolution that would have suffered 
death before yielding. 

“Can’t you pull him down?” asked Dudley. 

“I’m afraid I can get only his leg and that 
isn’t of any account.” 

‘ 1 Let me climb the tree and seize him. ’ ’ 

“It won’t do; they will attack you; don’t you 
see how excited they are ? ’ ’ 

The other creatures were frantic. They ut- 
tered their cries of terror, darted here and there 
among the limbs, and most of them gathered 


A FAILURE 


185 


among the branches of the tree in which the en- 
trapped one had taken refuge. They whisked 
up and down and were eager to do something to 
help their unfortunate comrade, but saw no way 
of doing it. 

“Here! hold the line and I will reach him, ,, 
said Nughwa, yielding the vine to Dudley, who 
grasped it firmly. 

The native ran to the base of the tree, 
wrenched his knife from the ground, and thrust- 
ing it inside his jacket, began desperately climb- 
ing. He expected to be attacked by the animals, 
but believed he could defend himself success- 
fully. If he could once lay hands on the captive, 
he would drop to the ground, where he and his 
friend could use their guns, if it should become 
necessary. 

“Hurry, Nughwa, or you’ll be too late!” 
called Dudley, who had discerned an unexpected 
danger. The native did not pause to ask its 
nature, for he perceived it already and had not 
a second to waste. 

That which alarmed Dudley Mayson was the 
action of the very animal that had dropped the 
cocoanut onto his crown. Braver, or perhaps 
more intelligent than the others, he seized the 
vine-cord, close to the loop that had closed 


186 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


around one of the legs of the prisoner, and be- 
gan fiercely gnawing it. 

Dudley gave the line a tug, hoping to bring 
down the captive before he could be freed. He 
pulled so hard that the shrill cry of the poor 
prisoner rose above the deafening din, but an 
iron chain could not have held more firmly than 
the arms locked over the limb above his head. 
Dudley had not the heart to do more and ceased 
pulling. 

All depended now upon Nughwa, who resem- 
bled the monkeys in the celerity of his climbing. 

He had only a brief distance to go, and it 
would seem he ought to succeed. The animals 
kept up an incessant din, and seemed on the 
point of attacking the man coming so rapidly up 
the trunk, but for the moment refrained. 
Nughwa looked aloft and saw the taut leg only 
a few inches beyond his reach. He thrust him- 
self upward, reached for the imprisoned limb, 
and — was just a second too late. 

When the big fellow undertook to chew the 
vine in two, the task was not very hard. A 
monkey’s dentition is similar to a man’s, though 
some of them display a brutal prominence of 
their canine teeth. This specimen had enough 
sharp incisors to sever the vine, which dropped 
upon the head of Nughwa, and then fell dan- 


A FAILURE 


187 


gling to the ground. He was so near the pris- 
oner that he snatched at the bit that was still 
hanging to his leg, and actually touched it, but 
the released captive made an extraordinary 
bound to an adjoining branch and scooted to the 
topmost boughs, where he was beyond reach. 

Nughwa cast a disgusted look at him and then 
dropped to the ground. 

“No use now,” he said, “that’s the end of it; 
he’ll take care not to come within reach of us 
again; are you sure it isn’t best for me to 
wound him ? ’ ’ 

“I wouldn’t have you do it for the world; he 
has been half-scared to death as it is, and must 
suffer from the pulling of his leg. There ’s only 
one monkey in that crowd, Nughwa, that I’m 
willing to see you shoot. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ The one that dropped a cocoanut onto your 
cocoanut, and that wouldn’t stand still and let 
you kick him ; I have nothing against him. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ He set the white monkey free. ’ ’ 

‘ 1 That is no more than he ought to have done. 
Yonder he is squatting alongside the white one, 
and sympathizing with him ; suppose you try a 
shot at him?” 

“No; I was only jesting; nothing would in- 
duce me to harm him; do you intend to let the 
white one go?” 


188 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“If yon can tell me any way to prevent it I 
won’t; but there isn’t any use of staying here 
longer; let’s move on.” 

Shouldering their rifles once more, they re- 
sumed their homeward journey, and had gone 
less than half a mile when an abrupt change of 
the elephant spoor was noticed. 

“From this point,” said Nughwa, “the course 
of the three is north. ’ ’ 

They paused and looked at the broken path 
made by the three huge creatures, as they tram- 
pled through the jungle. It will be remembered 
that our friends had not caught a glimpse of 
them since the previous day. The guide did not 
think the animals were far in advance, but there 
was no way of telling whether the trail was one 
hour or ten hours old. 

“The white elephant and his friends seem to 
have all sorts of whims,” said Dudley, “for 
they make many changes in their line of flight. ’ ’ 

“When they made this one they had good rea- 
son. Elephants are wise and the three knew 
they were getting close to a village, so they 
turned northward to keep away from it ; we are 
hardly a dozen miles from the missionary sta- 
tion. ’ ’ 

“You are not sorry for this change of route 
by the white elephant?” 


A FAILURE 


189 


“No; it took place at the right point; if he 
had gone nearer the settlement, he would prob- 
ably have been seen by our friends. ’ 9 

“And they would not have allowed him to 
get away if they could prevent it?” 

“You may be sure of that; all the well people 
would have gone wild and joined in the hunt, — 
all except the good missionary.” 

4 4 And why not he V ’ 

4 4 He is looking for his son, ’ 9 was the impres- 
sive reply; 4 4 nothing could persuade him to be 
away when he arrived. ’ ’ 

“I believe you, Nughwa; that is just like 
father; we shall leave the hunting of the white 
elephant until after we get to the station and 
then he may take part in it.” 

4 4 1 should be glad to have him do so, but think 
he will not be willing; he is so good a man that 
he believes his duty is there. You know how ill 
he was a long time ago. ’ ’ 

“I never heard of it; mother said nothing 
about his illness, nor did he in his letters.” 

4 4 He became so weak and sick that I traveled 
all the way to Bangkok to bring a doctor. He 
was a very skilful man, and by and by your 
father began to get strength. When he was 
able to move around, the doctor told him he 
could not promise him his life, unless he left the 


190 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

country and made a long visit to his home on 
the other side of the world.” 

“And what did father say to that?” 

‘ ‘ He said the Lord had called him to this field 
and here he must stay; he would not leave his 
children, as he speaks of us, but was prepared to 
lie down and leave his family, when his Father 
wished him to do so.” 

Dudley’s eyes kindled. 

“Was there ever a better man? But he was 
always that way and this is the first time I have 
heard of it. But tell me, Nughwa, did he get 
fully well?” 

The native smiled. 

“I heard him say only a few days ago that 
he is better than in all his life; you see he had 
to pass through what comes to almost every 
foreigner who makes his home in Siam — at least 
in some parts of it : he dies or becomes stronger 
than before. The Lord was not ready to have 
him depart. Your father has a strange 
notion.” 

“What is that?” 

“He says that now that he has become used 
to the Siamese climate, he would run the same 
risk that he has passed through if he went to 
America. More than that, he could not live 
through it as he did through his trial some time 


A FAILURE 


191 


ago. 1 And how would I feel, Nughwa,’ he said 
to me, ‘when called upon to give my Heavenly 
Father an account of my stewardship? My 
head would he bowed with shame to think I had 
fainted on the road.’ ” 

“There seems to he reason in his view, hut, 
Nughwa, do you think this acclimatization, as I 
believe it is called^ will affect me, in the same 
way f ’ 9 

“I think not; the Bangkok doctor explained 
that it does not come to young persons, I sup- 
pose because it is easier for them to grow used 
to our climate and way of living. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ How about, mother and sister Fannie ? ’ 9 
“They have not seen an ill day since they 
came to Siam; so I am sure you need not fear 
anything of the kind will come to you . 9 9 

Dudley Mayson was profoundly interested in 
the words of the guide. While he could not un- 
derstand the matter as a professional person 
or an adult traveler might have understood it, 
he felt there was reason in what he had heard. 
His father had become so accustomed to life in 
America that the radical change brought a phys- 
ical crisis to him, similar to that which has car- 
ried many aliens to their graves. It was natural 
that Fannie should be able to adapt herself to 
these changes, but it was strange that they had 


192 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


not affected his mother. Still, he remembered 
hearing the surgeon on shipboard say that her 
sex often passes through strains upon their 
health under which the strongest of men go 
down like reeds in a hurricane. 

“It must have been that way with mother,” 
he reflected, “for she was never very strong; I 
remember how father used to toss her about like 
a child and she was only a plaything in his 
hands, but she stood this country better than he. 
Still, if he is stronger than ever before, it must 
be because of his vigor, strength and good 
habits. ’ 9 

These and similar reflections came to the lad 
as he tramped through the jungle on the heels 
of Nughwa, the guide. They served to inspirit 
him, for when every phase of that which he had 
learned came to be considered, it will be ad- 
mitted that he had good cause to feel encour- 
aged and to look forward to his own residence 
in this partly barbarous land with far different 
feelings than had been his while on the voyage 
thither. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


A MEMORABLE BATH 

A SINGULAR feature of the stream they 
were following attracted the attention of 
Dudley Mayson. Although they were 
proceeding toward its source, it grew broader 
and apparently deeper. Its width became dou- 
ble that of the place where they had crossed on 
their raft. 

“You are right,,’ ’ said Nughwa, when his 
young friend mentioned the fact; “and the 
broadening continues until it becomes a lagoon. 
The current is so slow that you can hardly see 
any at all.” 

“I have seen no crocodiles for some time.” 
“That doesn’t mean there is none; you will 
find them in almost all the streams of this part 
of Siam, but there are plenty of fish, and we 
have species that you never saw in your coun- 
try.” 

‘ ‘ There is nothing strange in that, for it may 
be said of nearly every part of the world.” 

13 193 


194 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“You must visit the Meinam,” explained the 
guide, while the tw.o were traversing a slightly- 
marked path, which clung to the shore of the 
lagoon; “for there you will see fish that travel 
over the land.” 

In answer to the youth’s look of astonish- 
ment, Nughwa added: 

“It is true; many fish leave the river, glide 
over the moist banks and lose themselves in the 
jungle. They seem to be wanderers that love 
to roam from the water.” 

Dudley would have found it hard to believe 
this amazing assertion had he not been sure his 
companion was a truthful man. Moreover, 
after hearing the strange statement, the youth 
recalled that some years before, his mother, in 
one of her letters, had mentioned seeing the 
thing of which the native spoke. 

“I think she said there was more than one 
kind of such fishes.” 

‘ ‘ She was right ; your good father and I made 
a study of them and found there were three 
species of wandering fish — the gla-xon, the pla- 
mo and the pla-duk. The pla-xon is a savage 
creature, about the size of a carp, and makes 
such good eating that many thousands are 
salted and dried and sent to China and Java 
every year. ’ ’ 


A MEMORABLE BATH 


195 


“Father once made mention of the ‘dog’s 
tongue.’ ” 

“We have plenty of them. In crossing these 
waters, I have had several fasten themselves 
to the bottom of the boat. They pressed their 
mouths against it and made a noise that was a 
curious kind of music.” 

“I have never heard a singing fish.” 

“You will hear more than one before you 
have been long in Siam. ’ ’ 

“Do they make good eating ?” 

“We do not take them for that, though they 
might answer. Why do you look at the water 
so closely!” 

“I can’t help thinking, Nughwa, what a splen- 
did bathing place this pond is. An American 
boy could no more pass it by on a hot, sultry 
day, than one of our colored people could refuse 
to eat a ripe watermelon. ’ ’ 

“I was certain you were thinking of some- 
thing of the kind,” said Nughwa with a smile; 
“would you really like to take a swim?” 

“Nothing could delight me more; is it safe?” 

‘ ‘ As safe here as in any part of the country ; 
there is nothing to be feared from crocodiles, 
though we shall see plenty of them farther up 
stream.” 


196 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“Why do yon feel so sure there is none of 
them ! ’ 1 

“I can hardly say that, hut I have crossed 
this lagoon many times without ever seeing one. 
If there were any, they would be apt to be sun- 
ning themselves along the shore at this time of 
day, as the one you saw was doing. Still, they 
sometimes push into the mud at the bottom of 
a stream or lagoon, and come up when they hear 
a splashing near them.” 

4 ‘ Have you ever been in swimming here ! ’ ’ 

“Many times; your father was with me 
twice. ’ ’ 

“And neither of you was harmed!” 

“Not in the least. From some cause which 
I do not understand (perhaps it is springs in 
the bottom) the water is cooler than elsewhere, 
so you ought to know why it is so attractive 
to us.” 

Dudley walked to the edge of the water and 
stirred it with his hand. He was surprised by 
its coolness. As he turned about, he observed 
that his companion had begun disrobing. The 
hint was sufficient, and Dudley stood in his 
“huff” as soon as did the man. 

“I must tell you,” added Nughwa, as they 
were about to enter, ‘ ‘ that there is always some 
danger, though it may be slight ; but that may be 


A MEMORABLE BATH 


197 


said of us no matter where we are and whether 
it is night or day ; I will try to keep watch for 
you. ’ 1 

“It would have taken a very grave peril to 
hold the American lad from entering the water, 
now that he had disrobed,, and the clear, cool 
element seemed to beckon him to its embrace. 
He noticed that the bottom sloped rapidly, and 
the guide had told him the depth was considera- 
ble. After the manner of all well regulated 
boys, Dudley took a quick run of several rods, 
and leaped as far out as he could, with feet up, 
head down and his hands joined in front so as 
to form a wedge. That he was a skilful diver 
was proved by his darting under the surface 
with hardly a splash. Nugliwa watched him 
admiringly. 

The youth went downward until his hands 
softly touched the bottom. Then he turned and 
his head shot into sight, fully fifty feet from 
land. He blew the water from his mouth, 
opened his eyes and flirted the wisp of hair 
from his forehead, facing about and calling to 
his friend: 

“Why are you waiting? Are you afraid?” 

“I don’t think so,” grinned the native, who, 
the next moment, imitated the lad and disap- 
peared from sight. 


198 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

The lagoon was only comparatively clear. 
Looking down, Dudley could not distinguish the 
bottom, nor could he catch sight of his friend, 
who he knew was groping somewhere below. 

“I think from the way he looked and acted/ ’ 
reflected the youth, “that he means to play a 
trick on me ; I never saw a fellow like fun more 
than he does . 9 9 

The lad swam a rod or two from where he 
was when the native made his dive, and then 
waited with all his senses on the alert. 

“He means to come up right under me and 
give me an upset or — hello ! there he is now ! ’ 9 

Something seized his toe, but Dudley snatched 
the member away so vigorously that he in- 
stantly freed himself from the clutch. He was 
sure the vise was caused by the guide’s thumb 
and forefinger, but was not a little astonished 
when Nughwa broke the surface a dozen feet 
away. 

‘ 4 Nughwa, you can travel fast under water, ’ 9 
called Dudley; “you caught my toe, but I shook 
you off.” 

The native had turned on his back to float, 
but on hearing these words, he flirted over 
again, and swimming slowly toward his young 
friend, said: 

“Did something seize your toe?” 


A MEMORABLE BATH 


199 


“A fine question for you to ask! You know 
well enough that you did so . 9 9 

The bronzed face was grave. 

“My friend, I did mean to overturn you, hut 
you slipped away from the spot where I ex- 
pected to find you; I have not touched you at 
all.” 

“My goodness! something did,” grasped the 
scared lad; “what was it?” 

“Nothing I think that you need fear; I guess 
it was some kind of a fish that you disturbed, 
and he thought he would disturb you .” 

“It may have been something more danger- 
ous.” 

‘ 1 It was not. ’ 9 

“How can you know that?” 

“Because if it were, you wouldn’t have been 
able to shake it off ; it meant you no harm and 
you need feel no fear of it.” 

Every hoy knows the disquieting feeling 
caused by the knowledge that he is swimming 
in water which contains something that is likely 
to act like the fish that seized and was compelled 
to abandon the toe of Dudley Mayson. No mat- 
ter if you are sure the bite can cause no harm, 
it startles you to come in contact with any liv- 
ing thing under the surface. But the assur- 
ance of Nughwa that they had nothing to fear 


200 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


from disturbances of that nature, and still more, 
the coolness of the native himself, drove away 
the fears of the youth, who was soon disporting 
with all the abandon of the old days in his dis- 
tant home at the antipodes. 

Nughwa was as frolicsome as he. Like all 
his people he was a skilful swimmer, who ap- 
peared to be as much at home in the water as on 
the land. He dived, darted forward with a 
breast or a side stroke, floated, dropped out of 
sight, and remained so long below that Dudley 
was frightened. The youth admired his dex- 
terity, and the native, at the same time, was as- 
tonished at the boy’s expertness. He had never 
seen his equal among the Siamese youths. What 
he specially liked was the even, powerful stroke 
of Dudley, who, turning his shoulder against 
the water and circling a hand over his head, 
shot forward with a speed that the veteran 
could not surpass. He complimented his young 
friend, and for fifteen or twenty minutes the 
two enjoyed themselves to the full. 

“We have had enough,” finally remarked the 
elder; “let us go ashore. 

‘ ‘ I am willing whenever you say the word. ’ ’ 

Dudley Mayson failed to notice the signifi- 
cance of his friend’s action. At the moment he 
spoke, the elder was a little nearer to land, but 


A MEMORABLE BATH 


201 


he held back, so as to permit the boy to pass 
him for a few strokes. A close observer would 
have seen that Nughwa was not at ease. He 
glanced at the youth, then out on the lagoon, and 
then looked down, so far as he could into the 
translucent depths. He kept swimming toward 
the bank, but purposely loitered, so that the 
interval between him and Dudley steadily wid- 
ened. Whether the man had discovered any- 
thing to cause disquiet, or whether it was merely 
precaution on his part, cannot be explained, for 
he never made it clear. 

Be that as it may, Dudley was still quite a dis- 
tance from shore, when Nughwa shouted : 

‘ ‘ Swim faster! There’s a meng-phu after 

you ! 9 9 

The young man had never heard of a “ meng- 
phu,” but he did not wait for explanations. He 
knew the danger was imminent, and on the in- 
stand he began swimming with desperate en- 
ergy. No one can understand the terrifying 
situation of a man pursued by a shark, except 
him who has passed through the ordeal. Dud- 
ley Mayson could not know the nature of his 
pursuer, but he was sure it was some frightful 
thing that would make short work of him if he 
Were overtaken. 

It was not far to land, and he made swift 


202 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


progress, but in bis excited state, it seemed to 
him he never advanced so sluggishly. 

‘ ‘ Faster ! ’ ’ called the frightened Nughwa, ‘ ‘ or 
you are lost !” 

One of Dudley’s feet struck the bottom. 
Dropping the other foot, he dashed forward, 
and with a single bound landed on solid ground. 
It was well that even then he did not halt, but 
took a couple of steps before checking himself. 

No escape could have been narrower, for the 
meng-phu made a fierce leap out of the water, 
with open mouth, and fell almost against the 
heel of the fugitive, who glanced around in time 
to see it make a couple of flaps, and, dropping 
back into the lagoon, glide out of sight. 

The glimpse which the boy caught of the 
meng-phu showed a fish of vivid greenish-blue 
color, that must have weighed fifty pounds. It 
seems to be angered by any bather who intrudes 
upon its domains and makes a vicious attack 
upon him. It sometimes leaps several feet out / 
of water, like the American sturgeon, with the 
difference that the latter does so for pleasure 
and the former in the way of “business.” It 
is probable that in the instance before us, the 
meng-phu was some distance away, and was not 
disturbed until the frolicking of the bathers had 
lasted a considerable while. When provoked 


A MEMORABLE BATH 


203 


because the nuisance was not abated, it inter- 
fered. 

When Nughwa perceived that his young 
friend was safe, he swam swiftly toward him 
and narrowly escaped an encounter with a still 
more dangerous creature than the meng-phu. 
Dudley called that something was after him, but 
the native had already discovered it, and suc- 
ceeded through his wonderful quickness in 
reaching shore without harm, though his enemy 
was close upon him. 

The right name of the latter fish is “tetra- 
don,” but it is called “the moon” by the Siam- 
ese, on account of its peculiarity in inflating 
itself into a ball as round as a globe. It eagerly 
attacks a bather, and, though it has no teeth, its 
jaws are as sharp and hard as a knife. Jam- 
ming its nose against a person’s leg, it will 
gouge out enough flesh to make an ugly wound 
which requires a long time to heal. 

“I guess that’s enough bathing for to-day,” 
laughed Nughwa, as he coolly began donning 
his garments. 

“I rather think it is,” assented Dudley May- 


son. 


CHAPTER XIX 

A STARTLING OCCURRENCE 

F OR two or three miles our friends tramped, 
keeping in sight of the lagoon all the 
time, and following the faintly marked 
trail that was familiar to Nughwa. Nothing 
further was seen of the spoor of the elephants, 
and no doubt the three were a goodly distance 
to the northward. 

The day proved to be one of the hottest of the 
season, as the guide himself admitted. The 
heat of the flaming sun penetrated through the 
foliage, and the temperature became smother- 
ing. It seemed to Dudley Mayson that the rifle 
which he carried over his shoulder had tripled 
in weight, and his steps lagged, as if he had 
trodden a score of miles. But he showed his 
pluck by repressing all complaints and sturdily 
maintaining his place close to his leader. 

The latter had shown his consideration more 
than once, and knew the lad was suffering, 
without the furtive glances he took several times 

204 


A STARTLING OCCURRENCE 205 

at him. Inured as he was to the trying climate 
of his native land, Nughwa felt the fatigue. 
Finally he paused under a large cocoa palm 
tree, with the remark: 

“You are a brave boy to stand this as you do 
without murmuring ; I know you are worn out. ’ r 

‘ ‘ How is it with yourself ? ’ ’ 

“If I were alone, I should press on to the 
station, but I feel the need of rest. Here, then, 
we shall pause for an hour or two.’’ 

‘ ‘ Will that give us the time we need to reach 
home before night V y 

“We can wait as long as I said, and enter 
the station at dusk ; it will be more pleasant than 
to do so while the heat is so great. ’ ’ 

Dudley flung himself on the ground, dropping 
his gun beside him, and with a sigh of relief 
said: 

“I wish this were walking, but I shall soon be 
rested ; you must have patience with me, 
Nughwa, for I am not used to your country.” 

“I do not need patience, for none could do 
better than you. ’ ’ 

No more delightful spot, in the circumstances, 
could have been selected. At intervals, a cool, 
soft breeze stole over the lagoon, as if born in 
the forest twilight beyond and fanned the crim- 
son face of the youth, who, removing his Pan- 


206 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


ama, added to the gentle stir of the air. On 
the farther side of the natural lake the snouts of 
two crocodiles were seen; proving what the 
guide had said, that the reptiles preferred this 
portion to that lower down, where the two had 
had their memorable bath. From among the 
trees came the chatter of monkeys, and the cries 
of parrots and different kinds of birds. It was 
noticeable that all these noises were harsh and 
discordant, not a note among them being com- 
parable to that of the thrush, oriole, meadow 
lark, or even the robin, to which he had often 
listened in his own country. Nature seems to 
think that when she gives a bird a gaudy plum- 
age, she has done enough without dowering it 
with the sweet, trilling voices of the more sober- 
hued songsters. 

“Why do you not sit down, Nughwa?” 

“It is time to eat; I will soon come back.” 

Eifle in hand, he sauntered into the jungle, 
immediately passing from sight, and returned a 
few minutes later, bearing several big bananas 
and mangosteens, which the two ate with relish, 
neither feeling any craving for more substantial 
food. 

Seated thus, the native said: 

“We are not far from your home, as you 
know ; and only a little way from here is a hill 


A STARTLING OCCURRENCE 207 

from the top of which I wish to take a look over 
the country.’ ’ 

“Can we see the station?” asked Dudley, sit- 
ting up with renewed interest; “if we can, I 
should like to learn its appearance from a dis- 
tance. ’ ’ 

“No, but there is another hill, not far beyond, 
which we must climb; from the top of that you 
can see Wahta-Shat, and I can point out the 
house of the good missionary.” 

‘ ‘ What is it you wish to see ? ’ ’ 

“The view is to the northward; a half mile 
off is an open space where a kind of shrub grows 
that the elephants like.” 

“You hope to see the three we have been 
following. ’ ’ 

i 6 That is it ; would you like to go with me!’ ’ 

Dudley rose to his feet and was about to pick 
up his gun, when he checked himself and 
straightened up again. 

“Nughwa, is it much of a climb to the top of 
the first elevation?” 

“I must answer yes; not only that, but we 
must leave the path that is so great a help to 
us; it will be hard work, picking our way 
through the jungle.” 

“Then I’ll be hanged if I’ll tramp it for a 
dozen white elephants!” exclaimed the lad re- 


208 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


seating himself; “go ahead, Nughwa, and get 
all the sight you want; you can stay away for 
a couple of hours if you choose. ’ ’ 

“I may be gone that time, for the walk is long 
and I have told you it is hard. ’ ’ 

“Then why do you take it? What good will 
it do you to see the white elephants, if you can 
do nothing more?” 

“Do you not like to look upon things which 
it is pleasant to see ? Why do you wish to have 
a view of your new home?” 

“That is very different; the home where my 
parents and sister live must always have the 
sweetest charm in the world to me ; who knows, ’ ’ 
asked the son, with glowing eyes, “that I may 
not catch sight of one of my folks ? ’ ’ 

“Well, I cannot dispute with you: I will now 
bid you good bye.” 

As he started to move off, he checked himself 
as if not quite at ease in mind. 

‘ ‘ I think you have learned to be careful ; you 
know it is not well to disturb any animals in the 
jungle unless you mean to shoot them. These 
monkeys have noticed us, but they do not show 
much interest; they will not harm you, if you 
let them alone. ’ ’ 

“Is it possible that any of the friends of the 
white monkey are among them ? ’ ’ 


A STARTLING OCCURRENCE 209 

The native shook his head. 

“We left them behind long ago ; they will not 
bother ns again.’ ’ 

Looking off over the lagoon, Nughwa added, 
as if speaking to himself : 

“The day is very hot; the water is cool; a 
bath would be good. ’ ’ 

“If you mean those words for me,” said 
Dudley with a smile, “you needn’t repeat them; 
I know all you say, but the meng-phus, the 
moonfish, the crocodiles, and I don’t know what 
other nuisances can have the water to them- 
selves for all I care.” 

The native felt he had said enough in the way 
of warning, and now took his departure, dis- 
appearing almost instantly from sight. Instead 
of lying down, as he was inclined, Dudley held 
the sitting posture, gazing oft over the lagoon 
to the deep green foliage on the other side. He 
was so near the water that there was little or 
no obstruction to his view. 

He felt no special interest in the scene, for, 
brief as had been his time in Siam, he had be- 
came quite well accustomed to the peculiar 
sights which met him at every turn. The dis- 
tance to the other side of the lagoon was some- 
thing more than two hundred yards. Brief as 
this was, it looked to him that the trees, vines, 

14 


210 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


and foliage were so densely interwoven, that it 
was impossible for a man to thread his way 
through them. Yet Nughwa at that moment 
was advancing through similar obstructions to 
the hill from which to survey the country to the 
northward. 

There is no end to the exuberance of animal 
life in a tropical forest. Dudley Mayson 
caught glimpses of birds of the most brilliant 
plumage flitting among the green leaves. One 
of these was of such dazzling crimson that it 
suggested a torch flirted here and there by an 
invisible hand; another in form resembled the 
American peacock, except that its vivid coloring 
was differently arranged. It sat in full view 
for some minutes and then flapped lazily to 
another limb on the outskirts of the jungle with 
a cry as harsh as the peacock of which the youth 
was thinking. There were smaller birds which 
darted to and fro with such swiftness that they 
were like winged bullets. In the blue sky, de- 
void of the slightest wisp of a cloud, two birds 
with an immense spread of wings came sailing 
out of the azure depths, half-way across the 
lagoon, circled about and returned again over 
the edge of the jungle. There they hovered for 
several seconds, describing smaller circles, and 
then suddenly dipped down among the vegeta- 


A STARTLING OCCURRENCE 211 

tion, as if they were a couple of hawks coursing 
the Atlantic shore for fish. 

The young man knew no more of these birds 
than of the species of trees which met him at 
every step. He had learned to recognize the 
durio tree, the cocoanut and banana — mainly 
from their fruit — but that, was about all. He 
was sure his father had learned all there was to 
know of the fauna and flora of Siam, and the 
son reflected of the pleasure that would he his 
to study under his tutelage. 

Under the spell of this aimless reverie, the 
youth awoke to the fact that one of the croco- 
diles on the other side of the lagoon was in mo- 
tion. .He did not observe the reptile until it 
was well out of the water. Only the long, 
knobby snout was visible, hut the direction in 
which it was pointed was toward our young 
friend. It was coming straight for him, and, 
unless it changed its course, would touch the 
shore hardly twenty yards from where he was 
sitting. 

It could not be the saurian had observed him 
from that distance, for scientific tests have 
proved that its species can hardly see three or 
four times their own length, while many ser- 
pents cannot see even to that extent. Dudley 
Mayson had learned of this peculiarity, and 


212 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


knew it was impossible that the huge reptile was 
aware of his presence. If it should land near 
him, it would be simply one of those coinci- 
dences that are liable to occur at any time, and 
anywhere. 

All the same, the youth did not intend to be 
caught at disadvantage. He examined his rifle 
and found it ready for any emergency. Then 
he rose to his feet, keeping his eye on the rep- 
tile. Not only that, but when he perceived it 
was still approaching, he took several steps 
toward the water ’s edge. 

“Nughwa said I shouldn’t bother any of the 
creatures in the jungle, unless I meant to shoot 
it; that’s just what I mean to do with you, if I 
can get the chance.” 

What whim led the crocodile to maintain its 
course, it is impossible to say, but, had it been 
towed by a steam launch, it could not have fol- 
lowed a more direct line. Dudley’s eyes spar- 
kled with the anticipation which the hunter feels 
when he sees his royal game steadily coming 
within range. Not a thought of personal danger 
entered his head, and in truth, it is difficult to 
see why he should have felt any misgiving. 

Several rods from shore, the saurian swerved 
slightly, as if about to shy off, and probably 
return or land at some other point. This looked 


A STARTLING OCCURRENCE 213 

as if it were swimming for the mere sake of en- 
joying the contact with the water. Afraid of 
losing his game, the youth walked nearer the 
edge of the lagoon and hallooed : 

“Come on; I should like to make your ac- 
quaintance. ’ ’ 

The saurian seemed to hear the hail. The 
space separating it from the lad was so slight 
that it probably caught a vague sight of the 
figure on the shore. Those repulsive creatures 
have little fear of anything. You have heard 
of their fierce fights with tigers, and they have 
been known to tip over a boat in order to make a 
dinner upon the occupants. This fellow must 
have believed it saw a possible meal within 
reach, for after a momentary hesitation, it 
emitted its peculiar half grunt and bellow, and 
came in a straight line toward the biped that 
had dared to defy it. 

With every foot’s decrease of the interval, 
the crocodile discerned more clearly. The sight 
of a plump, well-conditioned youngster must 
have been highly tempting, for the huge crea- 
ture increased its speed. When its great snout 
was shoved over the land, and it could use its 
short legs, it advanced with a swiftness that 
was astonishing in so bulky and oddly-built 
creature. 


214 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


Dudley sank on one knee and leveled his rifle. 
His nerves were as steady as could have been 
those of Nughwa in similar circumstances. He 
aimed at the left eye of the crocodile, and, with 
his finger resting against the trigger, waited 
until it was within twenty feet and still advanc- 
ing -with increasing speed. The sphere of lead 
bored its way straight to the seat of life, and 
the crocodile whirled about, floundered and 
threshed the ground with desperate fierceness, 
and, still floundering, slapping and rolling, 
reached the water’s margin, where it ceased to 
struggle. 

“The next time a young gentleman from the 
[United States of America sits down to rest, the 
best thing you can do is to let him alone ; — I ’m 
speaking to your kind, for I don’t think you 
will ever be of much account again. ’ ’ 

Paying no further attention to his victim, 
Dudley carefully reloaded his rifle, for he had 
learned long before that the true hunter makes 
it a rule to do that first of all, since not only 
safety, but the commonest prudence demands 
such prompt precaution against surprise or 
mishap. 

Brief as was the time that Dudley Mayson 
had stood in the glare of the sunlight, while 
awaiting the coming of the crocodile and 


A STARTLING OCCURRENCE 215 

its shooting, he felt the effects of the heat. 
He stepped back under the shadow of the 
cocoanut tree, while reloading his gun, and he 
now resumed his seat on the ground, intending 
to give himself up to rest until the return of his 
friend. He was very tired, but he made him- 
self a most comfortable couch of leaves and 
long grass before he settled himself to rest. 

The flustration caused by the incident soon 
passed off, and, reclining in an easy posture, he 
was speedily overtaken by a drowsiness, which, 
if undisturbed, would quickly merge into slum- 
ber. His weariness of body, the hum of the 
forest, and the subdued murmur into which all 
sounds seemed to sink, united to steal away his 
senses. 

But for this, he would have heard a soft, al- 
most inaudible sound upon the lagoon, which 
steadily approached, and did not cease until as 
near to him as the body of the dead saurian 
which lay like a log, partly in and partly out of 
the water. But the sleeper was not in the 
least disturbed. 

Lying thus, profoundly resting, the first emo- 
tion of which Dudley Mayson was dimly con- 
scious was that of suffocation. He gasped and 
struggled in his sleep, and finally threw up his 
hands in the instinctive effort to free himself 


216 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


from the incubus. But he was not able to reach 
his head. Before the hands got to his shoulders 
they were strongly grasped and forced back by 
some power which he could not resist, and of 
which he could not form the remotest concep- 
tion. 


CHAPTER XX 


BOUND AND A CAPTIVE 

D UDLEY MAYSON struggled desperately 
and in the effort opened his eyes. But 
he was blind and in a world of darkness, 
as if the sun, moon and stars were blotted from 
the sky. Still he strove, and, rising to a sitting 
position, found that some kind of a covering had 
been flung over his head, and, gathered and fas- 
tened at his waist, left the arms free, but held 
them within the inclosing substance. 

The youth fought like a frantic person to free 
himself from the smothering sheet or sack. His 
first thought was that Nughwa had played a 
trick on him ; but the native, while possessing a 
keen sense of humor, had never shown any dis- 
position to play practical jokes. Besides, it 
was hardly possible that he could have secured 
the means of thus strangling his friend. 

Dudley’s next impression was that this coun- 
try had produced some remarkable creature, 
which overcame its victims in this way, but a 
217 


218 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


few moments were enough to convince him of 
the impossibility of this being the case. What- 
ever the explanation, it was self-evident that 
human means were at work. 

‘ ‘ Take this off ! ’ ’ shouted the muffled voice, as 
the owner still fought, and tore and kicked in the 
effort to release himself; “take this off or 
Nughwa will kill you!” 

Dudley could hear some one moving about 
him, but not a syllable did the stranger utter by 
way of reply. The lad staggered to his feet, 
and yelled and leaped about in his furious at- 
tempts to force the maddening thing over his 
head. But for his terror, his appearance and 
actions would have been amusing, for he wab- 
bled to and fro, fell upon one knee, clambered 
again to his feet, bumped against the trunk of 
the cocoanut, tree, and then abruptly paused, 
panting and exhausted. 

Rallying slightly from the first shock, he tried 
to peer through the meshes of the bag, but it 
was so finely woven that the most he could see 
was the dim outlines of a man, standing two or 
three paces away, apparently contemplating 
him. The form was so vague that he was una- 
ble even to determine its stature. 

The efforts of Dudley threw him into a pro- 
fuse perspiration, and it seemed as if he would 


BOUND AND A CAPTIVE 


219 


really succumb to suffocation, because of the 
confined air he had to breathe. He tried to get 
his hand into his pocket to draw his knife with 
which to cut the sack, and succeeded after great 
effort, but to his dismay, the implement was 
missing ; his captor must have extracted it while 
the prisoner was asleep. 

But his fierce efforts accomplished one thing 
that brought partial relief. He was able 
slightly to press open the lower part of the bag, 
so as to admit a little fresh air of which he 
stood in sore need. Finding it useless to try 
to accomplish anything on his feet, he began 
moving here and there, in the effort to return to 
the trunk of the tree against which he intended 
to seat himself. 

The slight separation of the lower part of the 
sheath allowed him to see several inches of 
the ground below his knees, and he was groping 
blindly, when he caught sight of the foot of his 
captor. Throughout all his panic and wild 
struggling Dudley had not been without a dim 
suspicion and hope that it might be Nughwa 
after all who was treating him thus roughly, but 
the sight of the strange foot settled that ques- 
tion. Nughwa wore sandals, as we know, but 
this foot was bare. Not only that, but it was 
notably larger than that of the guide, who would 


220 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


have been quick to rush to the rescue of his 
young friend, had he dreamed of anything like 
this overtaking him. 

Another step of the youth, and he saw the 
leg of the stranger to the knee. To that extent, 
the limb was without any covering, but its dusky 
color, seamed and scarred by tramping through 
the jungle, showed that the owner was a native 
of the country. 

Who could he be and why had he perpetrated 
this outrage! If he felt enmity against the 
light-colored youth from a foreign clime, why 
did he not despatch him as he reclined asleep 
on the ground ? How came it that the man had 
the sack in his possession! What did he intend 
to do with his prisoner ! Why did he not speak 
or make some response to the appeals of his 
helpless captive! 

These and similar questions crowded the 
brain of poor Dudley Mayson, who, when he 
succeeded in locating the trunk of the cocoanut 
tree, sank to the ground, with his hack against 
it, but he could not formulate any explanation 
of the most remarkable occurrence. 

If he was mystified and alarmed he was en- 
raged. The young man had a temper of his 
own, and when he was able to pull himself to- 
gether, he felt so indignant that, had he been 


BOUND AND A CAPTIVE 


221 


freed of tlie hideous sack, he would have leaped 
upon the author of his misfortunes, even though 
the man were double his own size. 

“You are a coward! You are afraid of me! 
You don’t dare give me a chance! You have 
my gun and knife, but you keep out of my 
reach ! ’ ’ 

Possibly these taunts might have produced 
effect had they been uttered in the language of 
the native, who stood some paces away, calmly 
contemplating his victim, as a spider surveys 
the fly that has been caught in the meshes of its 
web. He still refused to speak or to draw any 
closer to the captive. 

Dudley Mayson did a lot of thinking, during 
the brief minutes he was allowed to keep his 
seat undisturbed on the ground. He reflected 
that the only article that could serve him in any 
way had been taken from his pocket. Could he 
have grasped a knife, he would have quickly cut 
an opening through the meshes in front of his 
face — one big enough to allow his arms and 
hands to pass through, and then his assailant 
would learn something he very much needed to 
learn. 

“But I haven’t got any knife — so what’s the 
use of thinking of that ?” impatiently muttered 
the lad. 


222 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


Remembering how his wrists had been seized 
from the outside, when he tried to raise his 
hands, the youth did not repeat the effort. In- 
stead, he cautiously leaned his head forward 
and endeavored to use his teeth upon the 
meshes. He might as well have tried to gnaw 
through sheet iron. He gently felt about the 
cord at his waist for the knot, but a brief hunt 
told him it was outside of the sack. Could he 
have shoved one or both of his hands through, 
and seized the knot or knots, his captor would 
have been quick to observe the action and most 
likely would have been tempted to some cruel 
means of frustrating the effort. 

Seated thus, with all his bright faculties at 
work, Dudley Mayson speedily reached the 
point of believing he was absolutely without 
hope, unless in the improbable contingency that 
his captor really meditated no harm to him. 
You know the boy was not one of those who 
commit the fatal mistake of waiting until in 
dire extremity before calling upon the only One 
who can save to the uttermost. He prayed 
fervently, and then strove with manly courage 
to face whatever was in store for him. 

It caused him keen anguish to recall that 
when Nughwa left him to seek a view of the 
white elephant, he said he was likely to be gone 


BOUND AND A CAPTIVE 


223 


a couple of hours. Dudley had no means of 
knowing how long he had slept, but judged it 
could not have been more than a fourth of the 
time named. It was vain, therefore, to hope for 
the return of his friend until long after the 
captor had been given time to carry out his 
purpose, whatever it might be. 

Suddenly the latter spoke. He uttered sev- 
eral words in a strange, guttural voice, the 
meaning of which of course was unknown to the 
prisoner. All that the latter could do was to 
call upon him again to release him, or at least 
to let him suffer some other kind of death than 
strangulation, but the appeal as before fell upon 
deaf ears. 

Dudley ceased his prayers. His tense nerves 
told him the man was moving. He heard his 
bare feet fall softly on the turf, and the next 
moment he gripped the right arm of Dudley 
through the sack and jerked him upright. The 
fingers of the stranger were like a vise, and told 
the prisoner that even if he were freed, he was 
helpless against his powerful captor, who could 
do as he chose with him. 

“ I suppose he means to walk me to the lagoon 
and drown me,” was the despairing thought of 
Dudley, who had no choice but to yield to his 
master. The lower limbs of the youth being 


224 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


free, he was able to walk with little difficulty. 
The native was now so close to his side that he 
could observe through the sack that he was 
taller than Nughwa, who, none the less, Dudley 
believed would prove his master in a hand-to- 
hand struggle. 

If the captor meant to dispose of his captive 
by drowning, he showed no haste in doing so. 
Possibly he had fixed upon a different method 
from that in the mind of the boy; for, when 
they reached the water, he muttered some words 
in his gruff, husky voice, and began guiding the 
prisoner into some kind of boat, in which he 
had come to the spot. Unable to use his hands 
to help himself, Dudley employed his feet for 
that purpose. The craft resembled an Ameri- 
can dug-out, being the large trunk of a tree, hol- 
lowed and closed at the ends. The youth could 
not help being awkward, and the man grew im- 
patient. Seizing Dudley in his arms, he lifted 
him clear, and deposited him angrily at one end 
of the boat, where the prisoner could do noth- 
ing except to sit mute and helpless. 

He had been jarred by the violence with which 
he was set in position and it angered him again. 

“I only wish I had half a chance,’ ’ was his 
thought; “if I couldn’t do anything more, I 
would make things lively for you. ’ ’ 





































N 

























»@e>wog!0» j • (pSiBV'sraR - 


He could scarcely see through the sack 


BOUND AND A CAPTIVE 225 

The boat sank under the weight of the man, 
who carefully stepped in and took up the paddle, 
with which he had propelled the craft to this 
spot. Then Dudley heard him dip it first on 
one side and then on the other. He paddled 
slowly, as if time were of no importance to him. 

“If he heads up stream, it may be in the 
direction taken by Nughwa, but, if the other 
way, my friend will have no means of knowing 
where I have gone. What will he think when 
he comes back to the cocoanut tree and sees 
nothing of me?” 

One fact gave our young friend slight hope. 
He recalled that Nughwa must have heard the 
report of his rifle, when he shot the crocodile. 
He would suspect that some unusual cause had 
produced it, particularly since he had warned 
Dudley not to use his gun in the way of mere 
sport. On the other hand, if the sound had 
caused the guide misgiving, he would have been 
under the tree long before; so, after all, when 
the lad came to reflect further, this hope van- 
ished. 

In his distressing state, Dudley devoted his 
utmost energy to determining the course taken 
by the native. The youth was at the stern of 
the boat. Through the sack which was com- 
posed of some kind of matting or very thin and 

15 


226 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

pliable bark, he could make out the sinewy 
figure, as he swayed the paddle first on the 
right and then the left. Peering in the latter 
direction, Dudley saw nothing at all, but on the 
right a dim shadow seemed to brood, which he 
believed was made by the jungle on the opposite 
side of the lagoon. If he were right, then the 
craft was moving up stream, — that is, partly 
in the direction taken by Nughwa. 

It was a flimsy foundation, indeed, but, such 
as it was, Dudley Mayson eagerly seized it. He 
felt that while there was life there was hope. 

By and by, he became sensible that the speed 
of the boat was decreasing. The paddling be- 
came gentler ; then it ceased, and a minute later, 
the prow gently touched the shore and the 
strange voyage came to an end. 


CHAPTER XXI 


ON THE ISLAND 

D UDLEY MAYSON having learned long 
before that his captor was not Nughwa, 
might have believed he was the native 
whom he had seen the day previous on the 
edge of the path of the tornado. He could 
understand how a barbarian would be ac- 
tuated by the motive of revenge in his 
course of action, strange as it was ; but 
this supposition vanished with a glimpse of 
the man through the network of which the en- 
veloping sack was composed. He was of un- 
usual stature, which the other was not. It fol- 
lowed, therefore, that the captor and captive 
had never met before. 

A singular experience befell the lad while 
seated in the prow of the dugout. He suffered 
so much, now that he was again exposed to the 
flaming rays of the sun, that he fidgeted and 
tried to shift the covering so as to give him 
more room to breathe. While doing this, he 
227 


228 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


discovered an opening two or three inches in 
diameter. Until then it had been behind him 
and was unnoticed. Whether it was cut by his 
captor with a view of affording the youth better 
means of respiration, or whether it was acci- 
dentally caused, Dudley had no means of know- 
ing, but the moment he found the opening, he 
shifted the sack around so as to bring the aper- 
ture in front. 

The relief was instant. He breathed more 
freely, and better perhaps than that, he was 
able, for the first time, to make good use of his 
eyes. Through the window, he was given a 
clear sight of the Siamese who had made him 
prisoner. He was sitting near the stern of the 
boat, holding the paddle suspended, and peering 
over the head of the youth toward the shore 
they had just reached. 

The native was the largest that Dudley had 
seen since coming to Siam. He was more than 
six feet in height, muscular and thin to emacia- 
tion. A broad, coarse sash was fastened 
around his waist, looped, and reached down- 
ward to his knees, below which, as has been 
already said, the legs and feet were bare. The 
same was true from his waist upward. His 
closely shaven head was without the least pro- 
tection and he seemed to feel no discomfort 


ON THE ISLAND 


229 


from the fervent rays that beat so pitilessly 
upon all who were not sheltered from them. 
The skin was much darker than Nughwa’s, and 
the countenance was hard, drawn, wrinkled and 
forbidding. The forehead was ridged with 
seams which showed at the corners of the 
mouth, and the nose was thin and prominent. 

That which would have struck anyone look- 
ing upon him for the first time was the eyes of 
the man. They were large, sunken and bril- 
liantly black, suggesting a person suffering with 
a burning fever. They had a restless, flitting 
action such as is produced by an unbalanced 
brain. Their appearance raised the belief on 
the part of Dudley Mayson that the man was a 
lunatic, and consequently the most dangerous 
of individuals, since there was no means of tell- 
ing what fancies or whims would control his 
conduct. He must have been without firearms 
in the first place, for all that was in sight was 
the rifle taken from his prisoner. In fact, he 
did not seem to carry any weapons at all, for 
the handle of the small knife sticking upward 
from the sash at his waist was that of the 
weapon he had extracted from the pocket of his 
captive while he slept. 

The picture at the time these discoveries were 
made, was unique and striking. Dudley May- 


230 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

son was seated in the prow of the dugout with 
his body encased to his waist in the flexible, 
soft-meshed sack, peeping through the scraggly 
opening in front of his face. The man had just 
driven the front of the boat against the soft 
bank and was holding the paddle suspended, as 
if debating some question with himself. His 
eyes were glancing here and there at something 
beyond the lad. While thus employed, he 
seemed suddenly to become aware that some one 
was surveying him through the peep-hole. He 
drew in his wandering gaze, and stared intently 
at the bright, hazel orbs which showed at the 
opening in the sack, and looked fixedly into his 
own cadaverous face. 

Dudley would not have shrunk from trying 
to stare him ‘ 4 out of countenance, ’ 9 had he not 
been afraid of rousing the anger of the native. 
About the only rule to follow in dealing with 
an insane person is to convince him that you do 
not fear him, and are his master. In the 
circumstances this was impossible on the part 
of the lad, who gave over the effort when he 
saw he had become the target of those piercing 
eyes. 

In the place of returning the look, Dudley 
shifted his head so as to gain a sight of his sur- 
roundings. The first glance confirmed his im- 


ON THE ISLAND 


231 


pression that the craft was crossing the lagoon. 
They had turned up stream, and reached a por- 
tion where the width was considerably less than 
opposite the cocoanut tree under which he had 
taken refuge from the glare of the sun. Shift- 
ing his head still farther, he found they had 
reached a small island which appeared to he 
about a hundred yards in length, and perhaps a 
fourth as wide in the broadest portion. Rather 
curiously it did not show any trees, but was cov- 
ered with a species of thick undergrowth and 
exuberant grass, the latter being several feet in 
height, even at the water’s edge. 

All this was interesting, but. something still 
more interesting caught the gaze of the unfor- 
tunate lad. Seemingly in the exact centre of 
the island, loomed the roof of a hut, little else 
of the rude structure being visible, because of 
the interlacing shrubbery and foliage that grew 
everywhere. 

The conclusion was natural: this was the 
home of the native who had made him captive, 
and he was returning to it. It was one of the 
peculiarities of a healthy mind that, with the 
discovery of the primitive dwelling, a distinct 
thrill of hope — the strongest he had felt since 
his mishap — tingled through the heart of Dud- 
ley Mayson. For a few minutes, he was at a 


232 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


loss to understand why such a rise of spirits 
should come to him, and thought it was the 
reaction which often cheers a strong minded 
person, when others see nothing but despair 
facing them. But it was more than that. 

“It looks as if he has some other purpose in 
mind than my death,” thought Dudley, “or that 
if he means to take my life, he will not do so 
for some time to come. If his hatred led him to 
try to slay me, he would have done so while I lay 
asleep under the cocoanut tree. If, like many 
savages, he wished to gain amusement out of 
my suffering, he could not have had a better 
chance than when he was paddling across the 
lagoon. But he spared me and I begin to think 
I may have an opportunity of escaping him al- 
together. Every few minutes gained are so 
much in my favor.” 

Dudley was certainly an optimist, and it will 
be seen that the foundation for his pleasant 
hopefulness was that the delay was likely to 
give Nughwa time to come to his help. Sooner 
or later, he would return to the rendezvous on 
the shore of the lagoon, and upon discovering 
the absence of his young friend, would not 
throw away a minute in investigating the cause. 
The footprints in the soft earth by the water, 
the impressions made by the dugout against the 


ON THE ISLAND 


233 


shore and other signs would tell him that his 
young American friend had been carried off by 
a barefooted native. 

This would be a great point gained. Per- 
haps Dudley had too much confidence in the 
sagacity and woodcraft of Nughwa, for the 
youth was convinced he would do what he him- 
self had been and still was unable to do, pene- 
trate the whole scheme of his brother native. 
It was not impossible that he would identify 
him, and that he knew a good deal concerning 
the fellow. His home was between the mission- 
ary station and Ayuthia and was certain to be 
known to Nughwa, who must have often noticed 
it on his way between the two points, nor was 
it a stretch of the probabilities to believe the 
two men were acquaintances. 

All this, I repeat, was good reasoning, and 
our young friend cannot be blamed for placing 
reliance upon it, but he, with his bright wits, 
saw also the weak links in the chain. Nughwa 
might not return to the halting place for an 
hour or more to come. If he were favored with 
a sight of the white elephant, he was likely to 
be delayed still longer. That interval was sure 
to mean a good deal to Dudley Mayson. 

It must not he thought that while these and 
similar fancies were thronging the brain of the 


234 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


youth, his captor sat motionless, either staring 
at him or scrutinizing his surroundings. Like 
the hunter returning to his home after a long 
absence in the forest, the native was making a 
reconnoissance to learn whether it had been 
visited while he was away, and whether any 
hidden danger threatened him. Many a person 
who has neglected this simple precaution, has 
walked right into a fatal trap. 

It must have been that the Siamese made a 
disquieting discovery, for his action pointed to 
that fact. Holding the long paddle in one hand, 
he uttered an exclamation which sounded as if 
of anger, and rose to his full height. He shot 
up quickly, reminding the boy of a jumping- 
jack, but poised himself so nicely that the dug- 
out was not disturbed. Standing thus erect, he 
gazed above the head of his prisoner into the 
undergrowth beyond. Then he stepped over 
the side of the boat into the water, which was 
only a few inches deep, but he sank to his ankles 
in the muddy bottom. The next moment he 
strode toward shore. 

Dudley Mayson could hardly repress his ex- 
citement. 

“If he leaves me with that gun, I will get 
hold of it somehow, and he’ll find things dif- 
ferent when he comes back.” 


ON THE ISLAND 


235 


In order to make use of the weapon, the youth 
must free himself of the bag. His repeated 
efforts to do so had failed, but the opening in 
the texture gave him new hope. He was sure 
he could enlarge it enough to thrust both hands 
through. That would be sufficient, for he would 
be able to make use of his gun. The Siamese 
had not. interfered with the powder flask, bullet 
pouch and box of percussion caps which his 
prisoner carried, so that all he needed was a 
few minutes ’ absence on the part of his captor. 

It was fortunate perhaps that the opportunity 
the lad desired was denied him. His captor 
had hardly placed one of his feet on the land, 
when he appeared to awaken to the mistake he 
was making. He stepped back, reached down 
and took the rifle from where it lay on the bot- 
tom and against the gunwale. Then he passed 
out of the water. 

“Too bad,” thought Dudley with a sinking 
of the heart; “if you had only left that in my 
reach, you and I would have changed places.” 

Even as it was, the youth was tempted to 
make a break for liberty. If he could free him- 
self from the enveloping sheath, what was to 
prevent his pushing the boat out into the lagoon 
and making off? He surely could drive it 
faster through the water than the native could 


236 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


swim, and would reach the mainland so far 
ahead of him that it would be easy to insure his 
own safety. 

The fly in the ointment was the fear that the 
man would turn Dudley’s own gun against him. 
Although he displayed no firearms of his own, 
he must know something of them. The island 
was so small that he would discover the flight 
of the lad with the boat before he could go far. 
If unable to overtake him, nothing was to pre- 
vent his bringing the American rifle to his 
shoulder and shooting its owner. 

It was an alarming prospect, but Dudley de- 
termined to take the chances, desperate as they 
were. He first twisted his body around so as 
to get another sight of the little island against 
which the boat rested. He noted the tall grass, 
the thick undergrowth, and the top of the struc- 
ture, consisting of horizontal poles upon which 
were piled boughs, dirt and leaves, but nothing 
was seen of the Siamese. 

Bringing his hands in front of his face, Dud- 
ley seized the sides of the opening and jerked 
apart with all the strength he could exert. He 
tore the meshes slightly, but the sack had been 
woven from some fibrous substance, whose 
tenacity was like so many skeins of silk or 
strands of fine steel wire. It would have taken 


ON THE ISLAND 


237 


the muscles of a Hercules to wrench them asun- 
der. The slight yielding he had noticed must 
have been due to partial cutting when the open- 
ing was made. 

All would have been easy had the native not 
taken away his knife. The youth might have 
turned his strong teeth to account, but he feared 
he had not the time in which to do it. Angered 
and impatient, he forced his right hand through 
to the elbow, but could make no room for the 
other. 

“I wonder if I can use the paddle with one 
hand. ’ ’ 

And then, such is our curious make-up, he 
laughed silently as he thought of the figure he 
would cut, with his head and shoulders in the 
sack and one hand sticking through and wab- 
bling a paddle. Moreover, with the window 
closed by his arm, he could make little or no 
use of his eyes. But he was not shaken in his 
purpose, and would have made the mad attempt 
had not a familiar, guttural exclamation at this 
juncture, notified him that the Siamese had re- 
turned. 


CHAPTER XXII 


CAPTOR AND CAPTIVE 

I T IS not likely that the Siamese suspected 
the real purpose of Dudley Mayson, but 
supposed he was simply trying to free 
himself from the strangling sack for the sake of 
comfort, as he had tried to do more than once 
before. The man stooped down, fingered deftly 
at the fastenings, and then, with a single up- 
ward pull drew the network over the head of the 
youth who stood free. 

“Ah! that is a great relief/ ’ he sighed, 
“thank you.” 

The hard expression never left the bronzed 
countenance. The man did not speak, but mo- 
tioned his captive to walk in front of him. The 
latter now noticed for the first time a well- 
marked path leading toward the hut, which, 
therefore, must have been the home of the Si- 
amese. Not daring to disobey, Dudley moved 
over the trail, sorely disappointed that he had 
been baffled on the threshold of his scheme and 

238 


CAPTOR AND CAPTIVE 


239 


yet half-disposed to believe he would have 
failed after all, had he been given the chance he 
coveted. 

The distance traversed was brief. The hut 
was little more than a dozen feet square, the sup- 
porting columns being of bamboo, and the top 
covered by crossed limbs and branches, in which 
dirt was mixed, the whole forming a roof im- 
pervious to sun and rain, and elevated suffi- 
ciently to allow the native to stand erect. The 
structure had no floor except the earth, which 
had been tramped smooth and hard, and with 
no window or opening, other than the broad 
entrance. There was not a particle of furni- 
ture, nor anything to show that a fire had ever 
been kindled inside. The home was of the most 
primitive character imaginable. 

Dudley halted in front of the door and looked 
around for further directions. The man indi- 
cated that he was to pass within and he did so, 
walking to the other side and sitting down. His 
captor did the same, placing himself beside the 
entrance, with his legs bent in front, and the 
rifle lying beside him. Enough of the powerful 
sunlight entered to make everything within 
clearly observable. 

“He does not mean to give me any chance 
to slip out,” was the thought of Dudley; “I 


240 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


wonder whether he ever closes his eyes in sleep, 
or, if he sleeps, whether the tread of a cat would 
not awake him. Whatever he intends to do 
with me, he surely is in no haste about it. ’ ’ 

The renewed assurance of this fact strength- 
ened the hope of the youth, which had never 
left him for more than a short time. It was 
still a number of hours to nightfall, and who 
should say what might not happen in the in- 
terval? Surely Nughwa must soon learn of the 
mishap that had befallen his young friend and 
would bestir himself. 

It is hard to imagine a more trying situation 
than that of waiting in suspense. Despite the 
discomforts of his situation in the dugout, there 
was action at all times around Dudley Mayson. 
He heard the dipping of the paddle, the motion 
of the boat, and was continually stirred by the 
feeling of expectancy. A change always im- 
pended, and he was kept wondering what was 
coming next, but the end of one phase of the 
experience was upon him. The hut was reached 
and he was seated on the bare ground, face to 
face with the terrible Siamese whom he believed 
to be of unsound mind. 

The fellow withheld one trial from the young 
American, for, instead of fixing those burning 
eyes on him, he leaned his head back against 


CAPTOR AND CAPTIVE 


241 


one of the bamboo supports, and gazed upward 
at the roof, as if in reverie or listening for an 
expected signal. Dudley, who stole furtive 
glances at him, saw his thin lips flutter, as if in 
prayer, and he thought he might be some Budd- 
histic fanatic or devotee, communing with the 
being whom he worshipped. 

But hardly was this belief formed, when the 
lad changed his theory and decided that the man 
was expecting some one. The probability set 
Dudley’s speculations at work again, and there 
was no end to the fancies that thronged his 
brain. It is not worth while to attempt to give 
them, for he was astray and they were innumer- 
able. 

One source of suffering must not be forgot- 
ten. There are few parts of the world that are 
not infested by mosquitoes. Even in the Arctic 
regions during the brief, wet summers, they 
have tortured animals and men to death. You 
and I know something of them from experience. 
They swarmed into the bamboo hut and gave 
their characteristic welcome to the young for- 
eigner. Dudley slapped his face and hands, 
and scratched and dug different parts of his 
clothing through which they thrust their needle- 
like bills. It peculiarly maddened him to ob- 
serve that they produced no perceptible effect 
16 


242 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


upon the Siamese. It was not because they did 
not give him attention, for they settled on his 
bare chest, arms and face, but not once did he 
disturb them. He let them bore to their hearts ’ 
content, and buzz away or stay as they chose. 
It may have been that the man looked upon 
them as a means of grace, to which it was his 
duty to submit without protest, for it is not to 
be believed that he did not feel their exasperat- 
ing prickings, and his Buddhistic faith did not 
forbid him to destroy such pests. 

However, we can become accustomed almost 
to everything, and the greater affliction over- 
came the smaller. The life of the youth was in 
peril, and even while fighting the pests, this fact 
was never out of his thoughts. 

The burning eyes of the Siamese had re- 
mained closed for some minutes, and now and 
then the watchful Dudley Mayson noted the 
moving of his lips. Suddenly he straightened 
up, leaned forward and turned his head side- 
ways, in the attitude of intense attention. Dud- 
ley did the same, but nothing beyond the usual 
sounds of the jungle fell on his ears. 

‘ 6 His hearing is better than mine, and he has 
noticed something.” 

In perfect silence, he abruptly rose to his 
feet, but, instead of standing erect, bent his 


CAPTOR AND CAPTIVE 


243 


head forward, keeping one ear toward the open- 
ing. Only for a few seconds, when he stepped 
outside. Again Dudley Mayson was thrilled, 
for the man had left the rifle on the ground. 
The youth had but to leap forward and catch 
it up to make himself master of the situation; 
but, as if fate intended to amuse itself with him, 
when he was about to dash across the space, the 
gaunt figure appeared at the opening, reached 
out its hand, caught up the weapon and de- 
parted with it. 

“He knows better than to trust me too far,” 
said the captive to himself; “ if I could once 
get hold of my gun, I would bring this business 
to an end.” 

He looked for the speedy return of the na- 
tive, but when a quarter of an hour had passed, 
without his appearance, Dudley’s speculations 
took a new turn. If the man meant to stay 
away indefinitely, or for an hour longer, why 
should the prisoner remain in prison? What 
was to prevent his making a break for free- 
dom? 

The uncertainty was exasperating, and soon 
became unbearable. The lad felt as if he were 
acting a cowardly part in thus keeping his place 
when the open door was in front of him. It 
would not seem that the Siamese would feel any 


244 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


increase of resentment toward him, if he failed 
to regain his freedom. At the same time, it 
might be that the native was cunningly tempting 
him to the effort. 

Dudley rose from the ground, stepped softly 
to the opening, and peeped cautiously out. The 
tall grass and dense undergrowth were on every 
hand, and the eye could trace for a few steps 
the path by which he had come to the hut. 
There was no end of places in which the native 
could hide himself by merely stooping, and it 
was not to he supposed that he would keep in 
the trail. 

The one test by which our young friend meant 
to decide whether his captor had left the island 
was the canoe. If that were absent, it was fair 
to assume he had departed for the mainland. 
And yet, had he done so, the lad might well ask 
himself in what way he could follow. He 
had no boat and was without the material with 
which to construct a raft. After his experience 
earlier in the day, nothing could tempt him to 
swim the lagoon. 

The wildest scheme of all had taken shape in 
the brain of Dudley Mayson. He thought that 
if his captor were still on the island, hut so far 
from the hut that he could not observe the 
actions of his prisoner, the latter could slip 


CAPTOR AND CAPTIVE 


245 


among the undergrowth and hide until night, 
and then paddle to shore in the dugout. Of 
course, the Siamese on his return would know 
the boy was somewhere near and would begin a 
search for him. The extent of the island was 
so slight that he could easily tramp over every 
portion, but a vigilant youngster ought to be 
able to keep out of his way. 

The scheme, as I have said, was a wild one, 
and it is impossible to believe it would have 
succeeded if tried.. The native had been shrewd 
enough to keep possession of the two weapons 
of the lad, and it is not to be supposed, even 
if he failed to discover his hiding place, that he 
would leave the boat at his disposal. Except 
for his continual worrying and fretting, Dudley 
Mayson would not have formulated the plan. 

Peeping here and there, he failed to catch 
sight of the man. Over the top of the grass and 
undergrowth, he saw the gleam of the lagoon, 
and the overflowing vegetation on both sides of 
the water, whose course he followed with his 
eye for a third of a mile, when a turn shut it 
out from farther view. The boat, however, had 
been moored so close in shore that it was hidden 
behind the tall grass. 

Waiting but a short time, Dudley stepped 
through the opening, and walked rapidly along 


246 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

the trail that led to the water’s edge. It was 
not far, and, at the second turn, he saw the boat 
resting against the land precisely as it had been 
left when he stepped from it to land. 

It followed, therefore, that the Siamese was 
still on the island. The lad could hardly shove 
off the craft and snatch up the paddle, when 
the other would descend upon him like a cy- 
clone. Matters would be brought to a crisis, 
and every shadow of hope be gone. 

Impressed with this belief, Dudley turned 
around and walked back to the hut. He ex- 
pected at any moment to meet the Siamese com- 
ing after him, but when our young friend stood 
at the entrance of the structure once more, he 
had seen and heard nothing of the man. 

Then the old scheme flashed up again. Now 
was his chance to steal off among the high 
grass and keep hidden until nightfall. Mad 
as the attempt would have been, Dudley would 
have tried it, but for the sudden reflection that 
it was utterly out of his power to conceal him- 
self, while the sun was shining. No matter in 
what direction he moved, nor what care he used, 
he would leave traces which his enemy could 
follow as easily as if he were walking through 
clayey mud, where his shoes sank several inches 
with each step. 


CAPTOR AND CAPTIVE 


247 


“How came I ever to think of such a thing! ” 
was the lad’s disgusted exclamation; “my only 
chance will be at night, and I can feel mighty 
sure he won’t let me have it then.” 

Disconsolate and doubting his own ability to 
reason, he walked back to his former place and 
once more sat on the ground. It looked to him 
as if he had reached the end of his resources, 
if indeed he had ever had any to reach, and all 
that was left for him to do was calmly to await 
the will of heaven. 

By looking at his watch, he found that more 
than an hour and a half had passed since he 
rested under the cocoanut tree. He recalled 
that he had glanced at his timepiece, and noticed 
that it lacked a few minutes of one o’clock. It 
was now a quarter of three, — covering almost 
all the time Nughwa expected to be absent. If 
he had not already returned, he must do so very 
soon. 

“He can’t do much without a boat, and I 
don’t know where he will get it; he may have 
one hidden along the lagoon, or perhaps he 
will build a raft, and pole out to the island, but 
he ought to be doing something pretty soon, if 
he expects ever to help me.” 

It was no discredit to the good natured Dud- 
ley Mayson that, now and then, a feeling of in- 


248 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


dignation came over him, and he felt impatient 
toward his new friend. It certainly was strange 
that nothing was yet heard from him. It must 
be borne in mind, too, that unto few lads of his 
age do such crucial trials come as had overtaken 
the young American on his first visit to Siam. 
It would have been remarkable had he been able 
to keep his mental poise at all times. 

Suddenly the opening of the hut was eclipsed. 
The Siamese had returned as silently as he went 
away. He stood erect for a moment under the 
eaves and then, as mute as ever, stepped inside 
and sat down in the same spot as before, laying 
the rifle on the ground where it was within in- 
stant reach. He looked across at the prisoner, 
and then, leaning his head back, seemed to give 
all his attention to the ceiling of his residence. 

“Can it be he doesn’t know I have been out- 
side? Where was he all the time I was stand- 
ing in the door or hurrying over the path 1 ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ I only wish, ’ ’ added Dudley to himself, after 
deep thought; “that you would now fall asleep 
and give me the chance I have been watching 
for so long; I think I could creep across this 
place and get hold of my gun without awaking 
you. Let the chance come, and if I don’t try 
it, my name isn’t Dud Mayson!” 


CHAPTER XXIII 

IN THE HUT 

T HE minutes of that sultry, oppressive, 
tropical afternoon seemed interminable, 
and to Dudley Mayson the suspense at 
times became almost intolerable. There were 
moments when he felt he would go mad unless 
relief were granted him. The impulse to bound 
to his feet with a cry and leap upon his gaoler, 
or to dash through the door could hardly be re- 
strained. The Siamese sat in front of him, 
like one of his own heathen statues, hardly stir- 
ring, and giving no sign of life, except by the 
solemn closing and opening of his eyes. 

Dudley had sat thus, as it seemed to him, for 
a half or three-fourths, of an hour, when he 
drew out his watch and looked at it. 

“It has stopped,’ ’ was his thought, when he 
saw that the time indicated was just six min- 
utes later than when he consulted it before. 
He held the piece to his ear, and heard the tick- 
ing. It was running and had been running the 

249 


250 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

same as ever. He could hardly believe it, but 
it was true. 

With his legs stretched out in front, while 
seated on the ground, he flung one ankle across 
the other and folded his arms. He had rested 
his back, like the man, against one of the thin 
bamboo rods which supported the structure. 
He slyly pressed back to see whether it would 
yield readily, for in his irritation he wished to 
push it clear, like Samson of old, and bring the 
roof tumbling about their heads. But the end 
had been shoved deep into the earth, and it held 
firm. 

If one can become used to the bites of mos- 
quitoes, Dudley became used to the pestiferous 
insects, whose marks were on every exposed 
portion of his body, and on some parts that 
were not exposed. Now and then, when a big 
fellow bored a little deeper than usual, the 
angry youth clapped his hand harder and gen- 
erally with fatal results to the tormentor. 

‘ ‘ I wonder how many mosquitoes there are in 
Siam,” was his grim thought; “ about half of 
them must be in this hut, and I am doing more 
than my part in slaughtering them. Bite 
away!” he exclaimed, as he felt a sharp sting 
on his leg; “I can stand it as long as you. 


IN THE HUT 


251 


O-u-H ! ’ ’ he suddenly added, as he squelched the 
insect with a quick slap. 

From some cause, which we cannot attempt to 
explain, the plague lessened with the passage 
of the minutes. Why the buzzing nuisances 
should take flight, at the height of their amuse- 
ment, when the history of their species shows 
the rule to be the other way, was a mystery to 
Dudley Mayson and always will remain a mys- 
tery, for he never heard a theory that accounted 
for it ; none the less, the mosquitoes began dart- 
ing through the opening until, the lad did not 
feel or hear or see a solitary one. 

“It must be,” he said with savage humor, 
“that they have had so many bites out of me 
there isn’t room left for one to get the point of 
his bill between the blotches; so they have 
gone to hunt elsewhere.” 

The relief was great and even in his dreadful 
situation, Dudley appreciated it. He perforce 
kept up a certain amount of scratching, for, as 
all of us ought to know, that does not abate the 
nuisance but oftimes adds to it. 

He now had time to think of more important 
matters. In truth, he had done little but 
think, since his startling awaking from sleep 
under the cocoanut tree, but the turmoil in his 
brain left him in the same hopeless maze as be- 


252 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


fore. He could not convince himself by any 
possible theory of the true explanation of the 
conduct of the Siamese, who, having conducted 
him to the bamboo hut, sat down and remained 
as dumb as a wooden idol. 

A hint has been given of another wild hope 
that tantalized the American youth : that was to 
wait until his captor fell asleep, and then to 
seize his gun and make himself master of the 
situation. He reasoned that the man, like all 
living creatures, must sooner or later, yield to 
slumber. Inasmuch as he showed utter indif- 
ference to the stings of the mosquitoes, and the 
afternoon was oppressively hot, the conditions 
were favorable for his surrender to somnolence. 

Manifestly the best way of throwing the man 
off his guard was for Dudley to feign sleep 
himself. Any one can make the pretence, but 
it does not always deceive. Still, it must be 
admitted that our young friend acquitted him- 
self like a master of the art. Having folded 
his arms across his chest, he sat for a few 
minutes, with his eyes wandering around the in- 
terior of the hut. He looked up at each corner 
in turn, and noted the exuberance of climbing, 
interlocking vine that must have grown since 
the building of the structure; he observed a 
peculiar, knot-like formation of two vines, and 


IN THE HUT 


253 


a number of truncated leaves ; others short and 
broad and still others so attenuated that they 
reminded him of the Siamese himself ; a clump 
of dirt on the other side of the entrance from 
the man looked as if hanging by a thread, and 
must fall at the first breath of wind ; in several 
places the sunlight penetrated between the 
leaves to that extent that grotesque shadows 
were thrown on the earthen floor; one of the 
wire-like twists showed a curious, wavy move- 
ment, as if agitated by outside causes, or as if it 
were endued with life itself. Dudley required 
only a few minutes 9 scrutiny to discover that it 
did have life, being some species of tiny serpent 
that had writhed its way to a point five or six 
feet above ground. However, the youth paid 
little heed to a thing like that, and brought his 
attention down to that mysterious creature 
facing him from the other side of the hut. 

Dudley looked at the soles of the big naked 
feet, the skin as thick and tough as leather, and 
of about the same color ; the mahogany-like legs 
screened with hair; the bony, muscular chest, 
shaggy and ridged; the thin but excessively 
strong arms hanging at his side; the scrawny 
neck, the wrinkled face; the glimpse of teeth 
stained with betel-nut ; the head shaved smooth ; 
the arched and eagle-like nose; the sunken 


254 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


gleaming eyes and lips, which occasionally flut- 
tered, as if with prayer or possibly from a 
nervous affection. 

All these had been noted before, and, fixing 
his gaze upon the narrow, projecting chin of 
the man, Dudley began winking with owl-like 
solemnity. The process grew slower and 
slower, and finally, after he had closed his eyes, 
he made apparently unavailing efforts to raise 
the lids, and then decided to let them remain as 
they were. His head gradually sagged over 
one shoulder, he breathed heavily, started once 
or twice, and then settled down as if for a long 
nap. 

But Dudley was never wider awake. With 
his eyelids nearly closed, and with every sem- 
blance of drowsiness, he kept keen watch of the 
Siamese, who acted as if he had become more 
interested in him than before. This of itself 
was disquieting, for it might bode decisive 
action on his part. It was no effort, therefore, 
for the youth to hold command of his senses. 

The native looked with piercing penetration, 
but did not change his posture. His head still 
lay slightly back against the bamboo column, 
and his incurved hands rested with their knuc- 
kles against the ground at the side of his hips. 
But by and by, he began to wink with the 


IN THE HUT 


255 


drowsy sluggishness that Dudley himself had 
shown a short time previous. 

“He can’t keep awake- more than other 
folks,” was the thought of the latter; “I hope 
he hasn’t had a wink of sleep for a week; if so, 
my chance has come.” 

The youth did not forget in his excitement to 
play his part. He had settled into the position 
of the sound sleeper, and while it cannot be' 
said he snored, his respiration was audible, and 
had that deep regularity natural to those over- 
come with slumber. 

Matters moved more tardily with the native. 
Although the drowsy winking went on, the big 
gleaming eyes were unveiled every time, — that 
is for fully ten minutes, and then the surrender 
came: they shut and remained closed. 

“He is asleep at last,” was the delighted 
thought of Dudley, who lost none of these 
signs; “my chance has come.” 

In his excitement, he was wise enough to re- 
press his agitation and to guard against spoil- 
ing everything by eagerness or haste. He 
maintained his own posture for awhile, and then 
abruptly opened his eyes. As he did so, he 
scratched vigorously the back of one hand, as if 
that were the cause of his sudden wakefulness. 
This was for the benefit of the Siamese, should 


256 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


he also bestir himself. But he gave no evidence 
of being disturbed. 

It was not prudent for Dudley to start to 
creep across the floor until after more convinc- 
ing proof of the other’s slumber, or rather that 
it would continue, for he did not doubt its 
genuineness. He was sure the fellow slept 
lightly and would awaken from a slight cause. 

The youth lifted the ankle from its resting 
place on the other ankle, and shifted the weight, 
as if for relief. Then he slightly changed his 
own attitude, as one naturally does when 
cramped in his limbs. Without looking directly 
at the man, he kept him under surveillance. 
He did not stir nor open his eyes. 

The active brain of Dudley Mayson outlined 
what he believed would take place in the next 
few minutes. As stealthily as a cat stealing 
upon a mouse, he would creep across the room 
on his hands and knees, drawing steadily nearer 
the weapon, which lay at the side of the Sia- 
mese, who had taken it from him. Nearer and 
nearer he would crawl until he could by a quick 
movement, grasp the gun ere the man com- 
prehended what was going on. 

Suppose the native should awake before he 
reached that point? How would Dudley justify 
or explain what he was trying to do? He could 


IN THE HUT 


257 


not, for it would be a case in which actions 
spoke louder than words. 

The lad drew up his legs, then stretched his 
hands over his head and yawned. He leaned 
forward to begin his advance, but with a feel- 
ing of dismay, checked himself just in time. 

That yawn was fatal: he overdid it, and, 
slight as was the noise, it overthrew his plan. 
A glance showed that while the Siamese had 
not moved, his eyes were wide open and he was 
looking as fixedly as before at his prisoner. 

It was a thrilling disappointment, but the 
young man bore it like a hero. He was even 
able to smile, settle himself into an easy pose, 
and patiently wait for his captor to sink once 
more into slumber. 

“I shouldn’t have made the least noise,” 
thought Dudley, with a pang of self-reproach; 
“I could have crossed the room without awak- 
ing him, and I had no excuse.” 

It never occurred to our young friend that 
possibly the Siamese had been feigning sleep 
like himself. Perhaps he did not, but the ques- 
tion is open to doubt. 

It only remained for the work to be done 
over again, and the prisoner set out to do it 
with rare patience. He was determined this 
time to avoid the blunder just made. As soon 


258 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


as the eyes of the native had remained closed, 
even for a short time, he wonld begin creeping 
toward him on hands and knees. Should he be 
so unfortunate as to betray himself — and he 
could see no reason for doing so — he would 
make a dash for the rifle, leap back with the 
muzzle in front, raising the hammer as he did 
so, and, if his enemy attacked him, he would 
shoot him down as if he were a tiger of the 
jungle. 

Dudley was subsiding into his pretended 
sleep, when the Siamese bent his head forward 
with eyes wide open. It was his old attitude of 
keen attention, and indicated that he had heard 
something. The noise must have been slight, 
for with his senses keyed to the highest point, 
Dudley could detect nothing in the way of 
explanation. The murmur and hum of the 
jungle was like the voice of silence itself. 
Across the lagoon came the cries of the birds 
that were not asleep, — their discordance soft- 
ened by the distance, and no harsher note in- 
truded upon the stillness. 

That the native heard something unusual 
could not be doubted, for he rose to his feet, tak- 
ing care to pick up the gun, and passed out as 
before. 

This time Dudley did not follow him. He 


IN THE HUT 


259 


had settled that the plan which had come so 
near success was the only one that offered the 
least hope. All the others that, had flitted 
through his brain were dismissed. 

“He will soon come back and take his seat 
as before ; it won ’t be long before he will drop 
off to sleep ; then I shall do something. ’ ’ 

It struck the prisoner that the true course 
was for him to remain where he was and make 
his pretended slumber appear the more genuine. 
Accordingly, he assumed an easier position, 
lying partly on one side, his head on his hand, 
whose elbow rested on the ground. And in that 
position, it grieves me to say, Dudley Mayson 
did actually fall asleep. 

The Siamese was not absent more than 
ten or fifteen minutes. He seemed to have 
satisfied himself that no cause existed for 
alarm, and, stepping within the hut, resumed 
his old seat with the weapon lying beside him. 
As he did so, he glanced across at the lad, and 
at the same moment an expression flitted across 
his bronzed countenance that was like the ghost 
of a smile. 


CHAPTER XXIV 

“MUSIC HATH CHARMS” 

N O ONE can analyze the stuff of which 
dreams are made. It has been said 
many times that no thought comes to a 
person in sleep which has not previously visited 
him while awake. This is not true, as many of 
us know from our own experience. Some of our 
fancies when unconscious hear no resemblance 
to any of our waking thoughts. Two colors 
when blended will sometimes produce a color 
unlike either. So it must be that when two 
totally different thoughts mingle, a third 
thought is evolved bearing no resemblance to 
the foundation or elemental thoughts. 

The other remarkable qualities of dreams 
may be mentioned. The first is that the 
emotion of wonder is always absent. No matter 
how incongruous the fancies, such as convers- 
ing with persons long dead, or the doing of 
impossible feats, all are accepted as a matter 
of course and no astonishment is produced. 
260 


MUSIC HATH CHARMS 


261 


Another wonderful fact is the brief interval in 
which the events of weeks, months and even 
years are often comprehended. A man has 
dreamed of embarking on an ocean steamer, of 
being caught in a furious storm, of the sink- 
ing of the vessel, while vainly trying to weather 
the gale, and of striking the bottom of the sea 
and being awakened by the shock, — and all this 
has taken place in the interval between the slip- 
ping of the chair in which he is dozing and its 
fall to the floor. 

To Dudley Mayson, as he lay stretched out in 
the bamboo hut on the little tropical island, 
there came a bewildering riot of fancy. From 
the whirl and turning and overturning of 
imaginings, too fantastic to be described, the 
sensation came to him of floating through the air 
at an immense height above the earth. Thus 
drifting in the depths of ether, there gradually 
came to him the sound of music, — soft, dreamy, 
enthralling and too heavenly to he born of 
earth. At first, it was faint and seemingly 
miles away. Gradually it drew nearer, until it 
filled the air about him, and then suffused his 
very soul, taking full possession, while he re- 
signed himself to the spell, the like of which he 
had never known. 

Imperceptibly to himself his senses gradually 


262 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


returned, until as he lay on the hard ground 
he realized his situation. He saw the Siamese 
seated across the space, his head bowed in his 
hands, while he leaned forward in the attitude 
of listening. The sunlight still stole through 
the interlacing vines and the entrance, but it 
was more subdued and he knew the long after- 
noon was drawing to a close and twilight was 
at hand. 

But with this return of consciousness, the 
youth became aware that the music of his sleep- 
ing moments was still in the air and floating 
through his brain and it produced a wonderful 
effect upon him. 

In the first place, there was a dim, vague im- 
pression that somewhere and at some time — 
neither of which could be recalled — he had 
heard the voice before it visited him in his 
dreams and stayed with him when awake. Its 
depth and sweetness, united with the impressive 
circumstances, gave it a supernatural nature. 
He reclined without moving, fearful that if he 
stirred, he would dissolve the enthralling spell. 

But as the mystified brain clarified several 
truths impressed themselves upon him. He 
was not listening to the voice of a man or wom- 
an, but to that of a child, which was singing in 
the Siamese tongue. The exquisite harmony 


MUSIC HATH CHARMS 


263 


was of the earth, though to his rapt sense he 
believed for a time it was supernatural. The 
words were strange to him, and he knew the 
child was singing one of those weird Buddhist 
songs or hymns, which seem to be set in the 
minor key, and heard in the conditions named, 
could, not fail to produce an effect beyond the 
power of analysis. 

Another fact was that the voice was drawing 
slowly but unmistakably toward the little island. 
The music did not lose its entrancing charm, 
but it was surely approaching the hut in which 
he lay. Becoming the master of his senses, the 
youth observed that his Siamese companion 
was more profoundly affected by the song than 
he. Removing his hands from before his face, 
he stared at the door as if awaiting the coming 
of an apparition. Had he been cast in bronze, 
he could not have sat more rigid and motion- 
less. 

Yielding to an impulse which he himself did 
not understand, Dudley Mayson now rose to his 
feet and walked to the opening. In doing so, 
he passed the native so near that he could have 
touched him with his hand,. The latter did not 
stir nor notice him. He was listening to the 
music and cared for naught else. 

Reaching the open air, our young friend was 


264 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


able partially to shake off the spell that had 
held his senses captive. This was more readily 
done, because at the same moment the singing 
ceased. He had noted the direction, however, 
and moved over the path toward the point where 
the Siamese had drawn his dugout up the 
bank. When he was clear of the tall grass and 
undergrowth, he saw that a second boat, similar 
to the first, lay against the shore and three per- 
sons had just stepped from it. 

Through the gathering gloom, he instantly 
recognized one of these as his friend Nughwa, 
who was just drawing the boat far enough up 
the bank to prevent its being swept away by 
the sluggish current. The second man was a 
Caucasian, who as he stood awaiting the will 
of the native, held a girl by the hand. Dudley 
did not identify either. 

Halting a few paces distant, the astonished 
youth gazed at them in silence, uncertain 
whether he ought to speak or wait for one of 
them to address him. 

The position of the man and girl was such 
that their faces were turned partly away from 
the youth, and Nughwa was the first to observe 
him. 

“Did you grow tired of waiting for me?” 


“MUSIC HATH CHARMS” 265 

asked the native, as if he saw nothing unusual 
in the circumstances. 

“Yes, Nughwa, I had about given up hope; 
why did you — ” 

Just then, the girl turned her head, stared 
for an instant, and, snatching her hand from 
that of the man, dashed toward the lad. 

“Dud! Dud! 0, my own darling brother !” 

She leaped from the ground, and, flinging her 
arms about his neck, hugged him fervently. 

As soon as lie' could rally, he asked : 

“Fannie! is it really you? How you have 
grown ! ’ ’ 

“And so have you,” she replied, releasing 
herself, standing back and gazing wonderingly 
at him; “why you are almost a man. Is it 
really you, Dud?” 

“I am just as much Dud as you are Fannie; 
helloa, Pop; we mustn’t forget you!” 

The man had strode forward, halting for a 
moment, until the brother and sister were 
through their first burst of emotion. He now 
caught the sturdy youth in his arms, kissed his 
cheek and murmured in a tremulous voice : 

“My boy! my boy! thank God! Heaven be 
praised for all its mercies!” 

He tried to say more, but broke down and 
wept. Dudley’s head was on his shoulder and 


266 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


feeling that he had mastered himself, he 
straightened up. 

“Come, Pop, this won’t do; just look at 
me — ” 

And then the brave fellow went all to pieces 
and for a minute or two neither spoke. The 
parent was the first to rally, and smiling 
through his tears, said: 

“I am looking at you, Dud, though I hardly 
should have known you had we met elsewhere ; 
surely you are as tall as I.” 

“And you have more beard than when you 
left home, and,” added the happy lad, “I see 
a few gray hairs about your temples.” 

“Yes; there are some; one grows old fast in 
this country.” 

“And what of mother?” asked the son with 
a thrill of misgiving. 

“We left her well and in the best of spirits 
only a short time ago; she is looking for you 
and your meeting is near at hand.” 

Fannie who had yielded her place to her 
parent would not be denied any longer. She 
came forward and took one of her brother’s 
hands. 

“Are you glad to see us, Dud?” 

“What a question ! I won’t answer it ; I look 
as if I were glad, don’t I?” 


MUSIC HATH CHARMS 


267 


“Well, if yon are glad, give me another of 
your old-fashioned hugs.” 

He placed his arms about her and pressed her 
so fervently to his heart that she protested. 

“I must have a chance to breathe, Dud, or 
you won’t have any sister.” 

The lad now looked about him. 

“What’s become of Nughwa?” 

“He went into the hut to see Bara,” an- 
swered the father. 

“Is Bara the name of the man who had charge 
of me?” 

“Yes; he and Nughwa are old acquaint- 
ances.” 

“And do you know Bara?” 

“Very well, — poor fellow!” 

“Why do you call him ‘poor fellow’?” 

“He is of unsound mind, — as crazy as a loon, 
as we used to say at home.” 

“His eyes have such a strange look that I 
thought he must be a lunatic; I tell you, Pop, 
he wasn’t the most pleasant company in the 
world. ’ ’ 

“While we are waiting for Nughwa, tell us 
about your experience with him, Dud.” 

Standing thus on the water ’s edge, the young 
man summarized the occurrences of the after- 
noon. His father listened silently, but Fannie 


268 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


persisted in caressing one of the hands of her 
brother and uttering many words of sympathy. 

“You say you know this man, Pop; tell me 
something of him.” 

“His story is a pathetic one. He was one 
of my first converts and was an earnest Chris- 
tain; he joined my little flock months before 
Nughwa. He was so intense in his new faith, 
that it was hard for me to restrain him at times 
from doing violence to those who would not be- 
lieve as he did. 

“Like Nughwa he was an elephant-catcher, 
and one of the best in Siam. He and Nughwa 
were hunting animals at one time far north in 
the Laos country, when the two had the nar- 
rowest escape of their lives. Nughwa was laid 
up several months from his injuries, while for 
weeks we did not think Bara, would live from 
one day to another. By and by, he began to 
rally and gain strength, but I saw he had re- 
ceived, a hurt to his head which affected his 
brain : he was different from the Bara who went 
forth from the station to hunt wild elephants. 

“As he improved, he grew moody and re- 
served. I tried to draw him out, but, though he 
did not show any open dislike toward me, I 
could not help seeing his feelings had, changed. 
The truth came out one day. He believed that 


MUSIC HATH CHARMS 


269 


the injury he had received, as well as his failure 
on his last hunt were the punishment for having 
renounced Buddhism. I argued with him, but 
nothing could change this belief. He assured 
me he would never harm me or any of mine, but 
would show no mercy to other Christians. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ What of N ughwa ? * ’ 

“I should have mentioned him, for he is the 
only one toward whom Bara, seems to feel any 
thing resembling friendship. It is because of 
that that Nughwa has gone into the hut to talk 
with him.” 

“Suppose he had known I was your son?” 

“I do not think he would have harmed you, 
but it was not in your power to show him our 
relationship. ’ ’ 

“There is one thing I do not understand, 
Pop, or rather several of them. When Nughwa 
left me to take an observation from a near-by 
hill, he gave two hours as the limit of his ab- 
sence, and yet he has been away three times as 
long at the least.” 

“He has been to Wahta-Shat and back again. 
He went after Fannie and me. You can see 
that he has not thrown away any time.” 

‘ 1 1 suppose not, but why did. he go to the sta- 
tion and leave me in the hands of a crazy man, 
for he must have known it?” 


270 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“He came back to the place where he left 
you before the two hours had gone by; for he 
says he heard you fire your gun, and some time 
later he reproached himself that he had not 
gone to you without delay. He made haste to 
do so, and it did not take him long to learn 
what had happened. Bara had made a prisoner 
of you, no doubt while you were sleeping, and 
had taken you to this island.” 

“How could Nughwa know where he took 
me?” 

“Because he knew where the devotee made 
his home. Nughwa had been on the island and 
visited him more than once. ’ ’ 

“Why did he not hasten to follow me?” 

‘ 4 For the best of reasons ; he has no boat and 
it is too dangerous to swim in the lagoon, 
though he might have built a raft. You will 
say that he could have called to Bara from the 
mainland and told him he had made a prisoner 
of the son of the missionary, but Bara would 
not have believed him, for he never heard that 
I had any son. He would have thought Nughwa 
was trying to play a trick on him and ended the 
matter by instantly slaying you before Nughwa 
could get near enough to prevent. So he turned 
and hurried to the station to bring Fannie and 
myself. ’ ’ 


CHAPTER XXV 

HEADING UP STREAM 

D UDLEY MAYSON was inquisitive and 
the explanations thus far, as given by 
his father, did not satisfy him. 

“What reason had Nughwa, when he left 
me to be gone several hours, for believing he 
would find me alive on his return?” 

“Did Bara say any words to you in Eng- 
lish ? ’ 1 asked the parent in turn. 

“Not one; I did not suppose he understood a 
word of our language?” 

“He has an imperfect knowledge; I wonder 
that he did not show it; one of the phases of 
his insanity is not to seek the death of a Chris- 
tian until he has tried to win him to Buddhism ; 
he would have hard work, I suppose, in your 
case,” said the missionary with a smile, “hut 
Nughwa knew he would make the effort. That 
meant delay, for our friend counted upon your 
wisdom, when the test came, of dallying with 
him. He was hopeful that Bara would not 
271 


272 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


make the attempt before night, or at least for 
some hours, or if made, that the crisis would be 
fought off. It looks as if Nughwa was right in 
this supposition. ’ ’ 

4 ‘ Then I suppose that my captor gave a good 
deal of his time to meditation upon the task he 
had in mind; for I can’t understand why he 
should have been silent so long, unless that was 
his reason.’ ’ 

1 ‘ Undoubtedly it was. ’ ’ 

“You have twice said that when Nughwa hur- 
ried to the station, it was to bring you and 
Fannie back with him : why was she included ? ’ ’ 
asked Dudley, giving his sister a sly squeeze. 

“Music has an unaccountable influence over 
Bara; we found that out when he was conva- 
lescing at the station, and none could affect him 
so deeply as Fannie with her simple Siamese 
hymns* As soon as we came in sight of the 
island, she began singing.” 

“I see it all now,” said the youth, deeply im- 
pressed; “it was her voice that awoke me from 
sleep, but it was some time before I could com- 
prehend what it meant.” 

“And it moved Bara?” 

“Profoundly; when I opened my eyes and 
looked across the hut, he sat like one entranced. 
I got up and walked out. and he neither stirred 


HEADING UP STREAM 


273 


nor spoke ; he was more under the spell than I 
and did not recover as I did. Fannie,” added 
her brother, pinching her cheek, “you have a 
pretty fair voice, and you must let me hear it 
again. ’ ’ 

“You shall have plenty of opportunity, but 
not now,” said the parent; “it has done its 
work; it is time Nughwa joined us.” 

During the conversation, the murmur of 
words was heard in the hut, and Nughwa now 
appeared bearing the rifle of Dudley Mayson 
in one hand. As he came forward, he drew the 
knife from his sash and handed it to the youth. 

“Everything is right; we can leave without 
waiting longer.” 

“Would it he wise for me to go in to see 
Bara?” asked the missionary. 

Nughwa was thoughtful a minute, and then 
shook his head. 

‘ ‘ I think not ; he is a strange man ; let us wait 
no longer.” 

The guide stepped to the boat and shoved it 
free of the land. Then the missionary seated 
himself at the stern, Dudley and Fannie near 
the bow, while Nughwa sat in the middle, and 
picked up the paddle, similar to that which had 
been used by Bara. The combined weight sank 
the craft almost to the gunwales. 

18 


274 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“You see, Dud, why we did not bring your 
mother,” remarked his father; “as it is, we 
have a bigger load than usual. Besides she 
thought it best to stay with the sick ones, who, 
I am glad to say are doing well.” 

Nughwa headed the craft up stream, display- 
ing much expertness in its management. It 
has been said that the width and depth of the 
lagoon made the current sluggish. Indeed, at 
times, it was hard to note any movement of the 
water at all; but, as one ascended the current 
narrowed and the flow became more perceptible. 

Twilight is always of brief duration in the 
tropics, and it had begun when our friends 
pushed off from the island. While the Siamese 
and missionary faced the way they were going, 
the children looked toward the island. The 
distance passed was brief, when Fannie said in 
an undertone: 

“Look!” 

She pointed down stream, and all eyes were 
turned that way, but Nughwa instantly with- 
drew his gaze, and gave his attention to pad- 
dling. The three saw the devotee, who had 
come down to the margin of the lagoon, where 
he was standing, like a statue, with arms 
folded and his eyes evidently fixed on the craft 
that was bearing the four persons away. 


HEADING UP STREAM 


275 


Nughwa slackened the speed of the boat, 
which was already slow, and said : 

* 4 Will not the little girl sing?” 

Fannie looked to her father for permission 
and he nodded his head. The same soft, low 
and wonderfully sweet tones floated across the 
water. The exquisite ifiusic cannot be de- 
scribed, the girl herself entering into the spirit 
of the time, place and circumstances. Even 
Nughwa was affected. He ceased swaying the 
paddle, and held it partly suspended with the 
water trickling from the blade. 

The feelings of the man on the island must- 
have been stirred to their depths, though the 
slightest variation of his pose could not be seen, 
and the obscurity prevented a clear view of his 
swarthy countenance. 

By and by, Nughwa gently resumed paddling. 
The form on the island grew dim and shadowy 
and finally faded away in the gloom. The voice 
of the girl ceased, and for several minutes no 
one spoke. Then the native dipped and swayed 
the blade with more vigor, for the stream was 
narrowing and the strength of the current in- 
creasing. It was several minutes before any 
one spoke. Dudley pressed the palm of his sis- 
ter, and as he did so, felt a warm tear fall upon 
the back of his hand. He made no comment, 


276 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


and their father was the first to break the still- 
ness which would have been perfect, but for the 
eternal voice of the jungle on either hand. 

“Nughwa, did you make Bara believe it was 
my son whom he made prisoner ? ’ ’ 

“I am not sure of that; he listened for some 
time to my talk, but did not seem able to under- 
stand why you should have come so great a dis- 
tance, and brought one child and left the other. 
Our people you know think more of their boys 
than of the girls, and it appeared to him it 
ought to have been the other way.” 

4 4 What was his purpose regarding Dud!” 

4 4 When night came he meant to make him un- 
derstand he must accept the religion of Buddha 
or die.” 

4 4 As Mohammed did centuries ago with 
Islamism; did he tell you why he waited until 
night ? 9 9 

4 4 No, but he must have thought the hour of 
darkness would be more favorable.” 

4 4 You talked with him for some time.” 

4 4 Not much else of account was said ; he urged 
me to become a Buddhist. ’ ’ 

4 4 And what did you say to Kim?” 

4 4 Nothing on that subject,” was the reply of 
the sensible fellow ; 4 4 for what can one gain by 
trying to persuade a crazy man to believe differ- 


HEADING UP STREAM 


277 


ent from what he believes? Yon make him 
angry, and he thinks more strongly his way 
than before. Bara has not eaten for six days. ’ ’ 

“Poor fellow! his chief business seems to be 
fasting. And to think, Dud, how plentiful food 
is all around him! We have fifty varieties of 
bananas alone in Siam.” 

“And no end to other fruits; I hope for 
Bara’s sake he is through with fasting.” 

“More than likely he is not half-finished ; I 
have known him to let food alone for twenty 
days. I am glad of one thing,” said the mis- 
sionary, “he has better sense than to inflict tor- 
tures, other than starvation, upon himself. 
Some of these wretched idolaters give them- 
selves shocking injuries.” 

Meanwhile, Nughwa plied the paddle with the 
smooth regularity of a steam engine. The 
brown, muscular arms seemed never to tire and 
the dugout moved steadily up stream. Several 
times the missionary insisted upon taking his 
turn, and even Dudley was eager to show he 
was not ignorant of the art, but Nughwa shook 
his head. 

“When I am tired I will ask you to give 
help.” 

“The trouble about that is that you never 


278 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


seem to grow tired,’ ’ said the missionary; “at 
least you won’t confess it.” 

Night had closed in, and the sky was without 
a cloud. The stars shone with a splendor un- 
known in the temperate zones, and the air 
seemed to throb and scintillate with the brilliant 
rays. When the little boat passed near either 
shore, great fern leaves, of the size of umbrellas, 
lapped over them, while the woods on either 
hand wore their impenetrable garb of darkness. 
From the depths of the jungle, issued the myr- 
iad voices, making a din that is indescribable. 
There seems to be no limit to the sights, sounds 
and productions of the tropical world. In the 
deep gloom, the millions of points of fire caused 
by lightning bugs, flashed out, quickly subsiding 
into darkness again — the exhibition being of 
the remarkable nature already described. 

Under the even impulse of the paddle, brother 
and sister exchanged experiences. Six years 
may not mean much to us older folks, but it is 
a mighty big span in the lives of boys and girls. 
Fannie had kept up a fitful correspondence with 
several playmates, though the letters were any- 
thing but regular in passing to and fro, and 
there was no end to the questions she asked 
concerning the writers. Dudley had taken 
pains to prime himself with information which 


HEADING UP STREAM 


279 


delighted her. Most of her friends had sent 
presents which were in the luggage that had 
arrived that day from Ayuthia, for the two car- 
riers seemed to have escaped all the trials and 
trouble that befell the young man. 

Fannie, on her part, told Dudley of their daily 
life in this distant part of the world. It was 
interesting to him, since it concerned those 
whom he loved with the overflowing affection 
of his nature. The father sat silent and listen- 
ing during their conversation, for in the still- 
ness he could hear all that was spoken. A lumi- 
nous peace filled his heart, for unto him had 
come mercies which he felt could not he in- 
creased. Above, below, around and suffusing 
all, was the consciousness of the approbation of 
his heavenly Father, and none can comprehend 
that , unless he has received it. 

Nughwa was happy also, but he could not for- 
get that a certain responsibility rested on his 
shoulders. It was his duty to conduct this little 
party to the missionary station, and until that 
was done, he had no right to give his thoughts 
to anything else. Had any one paid attention 
to him, he would have seen that his glances were 
continually flitting from bank to bank, and up 
stream. He gave no attention to the rear, be- 


280 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

cause no danger was to be feared from that, di- 
rection. 

Suddenly he ceased paddling and uttered a 
low “Sh!” 

The younger ones checked their words, and, 
like their parent, looked at the guide for an 
explanation of the warning. He gave no reply, 
hut they observed he was looking at something 
toward, the right bank, some twenty yards away. 
A growl sounded across the slight space, and 
Nughwa quickly laid his paddle in the bottom 
of the boat. He took up Dudley’s rifle and 
handed it to the missionary, who had not 
brought any weapon with him, and then grasped 
his own. 

“Can you see anything?” whispered Dudley 
in the ear of his sister. 

“Yes,” she answered in the same guarded 
voice ; ‘ ‘ there it is ! ” 

She indicated the direction with her finger. 
Under the overhanging limbs along shore 
glowed two orbs, with a phosphorescence such 
as is seen in the feline species. Some wild 
beast was staring out upon the boat and its oc- 
cupants, as if seeking the meaning of what he 
saw. 

Since the Siamese had ceased paddling, the 
dugout began drifting with the current, A 


HEADING UP STREAM 


281 


splash was heard, proving that the animal had 
entered the water. 

“He means to attack us,” said the mission- 
ary. 

“Perhaps, hut wait till he comes nearer.” 

The greenish glitter dropped lower, as the 
creature sank into the stream, and swam out 
into the current. Both men cocked their guns, 
and Dudley placed a loving arm around his 
sister, as if to protect her from the threatened 
danger. 

“It is a tiger, ’ ’ said Nughwa, “wait till he is 
close to the boat ; then we will aim at his fore- 
head between the eyes.” 

The moment the head came from under the 
shadows, the occupants saw it quite plainly in 
the star-gleam. The small ears standing erect, 
and the shining eyes showed the outlines of a 
head so large as to prove the animal to be of 
unusual size. 

At this critical moment, it was noticed that 
the tiger was not directly approaching the boat. 
There may have been something in the appear- 
ance of the craft and those in it that he did not 
understand, and every animal fears that which 
is not comprehended by him. Be that as it 
may, he swerved in his course, and crossed the 
stream twenty feet above the prow of the dug- 


282 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


out. The fan-like wake that spread out behind 
his head was plainly shown in the glow of the 
stars, and a few minutes later, he passed from 
sight in the gloom of the other bank, where he 
was heard to leave the water and pass on into 
the jungle beyond. 


CHAPTER XXVI 

HOME AT LAST 

T HE course being open once more, Nughwa 
resumed paddling and drove the boat 
faster than at any time since leaving the 
island. Brother and sister resumed their talk, 
but at the suggestion of the guide, spoke in low 
tones. 

“I don’t think we are likely to draw atten- 
tion,’ ’ he explained, “but there is no call to 
run the risk. ’ ’ 

No interruption occurred until they had gone 
more than a mile. The stream, having nar- 
rowed to about a hundred yards in width, did 
not seem to increase or diminish, but the native 
maintained his alertness, as if he knew that 
peril of some sort impended every minute. 

“Can you tell what creatures make all these 
strange noises?” asked Dudley of his sister, 
when they had sat awhile in silence. 

“No; there are so many that I don’t believe 
Nughwa or even mother can.” 

283 


284 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“Do you rank her as the equal of him?” 

“No one knows more of Siam than she ; father 
says she is a wonder. ’ 9 

“She always was,” said the proud son. 

“I have even heard Nughwa ask her about 
certain cries heard at night, and she was always 
able to tell him— there! that is a trumpeter- 
beetle!” exclaimed the girl as a peculiar rat- 
tling note fell upon their ears; “there is no end 
to the night birds, and now and then some wild 
animal adds his voice to the racket.” 

“Helloa! Nughwa has discovered something 
else,” whispered the brother, who noticed that 
the Siamese had again ceased swaying the pad- 
dle. 

“And I know what it is,” said Fannie, with 
no little pride. 

“Then you know more than I do, which isn’t 
saying much ; what is the cause ? ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Elephants ; don ’t you hear them ? ’ ’ 

The crashing on the right sounded as if 
made by a park of artillery plunging through 
the jungle. 

“They are coming down to drink; they will 
be in sight in a minute.” 

Knowing where they would leave the forest, 
Nughwa drove the canoe down stream, to re- 
move it from the path of the bulky animals. 


HOME AT LAST 


285 


The crashing tread lasted a few minutes, and 
then a splashing showed that the beasts had en- 
tered the water. They kept so near shore that 
only a vague sight, was caught of them. 

‘ 4 How many are there ? ’ ’ asked Dudley. 

“Three.” 

No one except the two understood the signifi- 
cance of this reply. Not knowing whether the 
native wished their secret to become known, the 
youth veiled his question : 

“Do you think we have seen them before V 9 

“I shall find out. ,, 

He paddled a little way down stream and ran 
the prow of the boat under the bank. 

“I will be gone only a short time,” he ex- 
plained to his friends, “wait here till I come 
back; I must learn something about those ani- 
mals.” 

He kept his word and returned at the end of 
a few minutes. 

‘ ‘ They are all of a dark color, ’ 9 he explained, 
lifting the paddle and guiding the boat as close 
to the farther bank as he could. He feared the 
animals would place themselves in the stream 
so that it would be hard and perhaps dangerous 
work to attempt to pass them. His promptness 
averted this difficulty, and, when he brought the 
dugout into the middle of the current again, it 


286 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


was a safe distance above the elephants which 
were frolicking and sporting in the water, as 
all had seen them do before. 

“Nughwa,” said the missionary, when mat- 
ters had settled; “I noticed that yon said the 
three elephants which yon saw were all of a 
natural color: how came you to say that?” 

There was no reason for keeping the secret, 
and Nughwa answered: 

“On our way through the jungle, we came 
upon three elephants, and one of them was of a 
white color ; I thought he might be one of these 
three.” 

“You astonish me ; in all the time that I have 
lived in Siam, I have never seen one of those 
albinos except in the royal quarters at Bangkok, 
and now, my son no more than fairly enters the 
jungle, when he runs against one.” 

“And Nughwa, says he is the finest specimen 
he ever saw,” said Dudley. 

‘ ‘ And that is true ; the three came in this di- 
rection, but turned to the north some miles back 
and must be a long way off. ’ ’ 

‘ 4 Did you try to capture him ? 9 9 

“We had not the means of doing so ; we shall 
wait till we get home and then Dudley and I 
will make the start with Wahridda.” 


HOME AT LAST 


287 


“I was not aware that I had given Dud per- 
mission,’ ’ said his father almost curtly. 

“It shall be just as you say, Pop,” the lad 
hastened to add; “I should dearly love to go 
with Nughwa, but I shall not do so if it is 
against your wishes.” 

“Spoken by a true son! My objections are 
removed, though I can’t say I fancy the plan of 
having you leave almost as soon as you come 
under our roof.” 

“We may wait two or three weeks.” 

“I can see that that will never do; a few days 
are enough to take the animal many miles away, 
and so far into the jungle that it will be almost 
impossible to find him again.” 

“We had no trouble in following the trail of 
the three.” 

“Because the spoor was fresh, but it will soon 
be crossed by others, and there is no way of 
distinguishing them : am I right, Nughwa I ’ ’ 

“You are; there is no chance of success un- 
less we begin the hunt to-morrow.”* 

“Well, that being so, I will compromise mat- 
ters with Dud ; he has my consent, but before he 
leaves, he must get that of his mother. If she 
is willing, I shall make no objections.” 

“We can fix it with her,” whispered Fannie; 
“I’ll coax like everything and you’ll coax 


288 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


harder than that, and she is the best mother 
that ever lived, so 3 that settles it.” 

“ Don’t yon think the prize is worth trying 
for, Pop?” 

“It certainly is; if yon can capture such a 
fine white elephant as you say this one is, and 
are able to get him to Bangkok, the king will 
pay you a big price for him. I must say, how- 
ever, that I haven’t the slightest hope you will 
succeed. ’ ’ 

“ I do not see why we haven ’t a fair chance ; 
Nughwa has captured lots of elephants, and I 
suppose that one with a partly white skin isn’t 
any harder to catch than the others. ’ ’ 

“It isn’t that, but if this one has been near 
us, it is quite likely others have seen him, and 
they will leave nothing undone to get ahead of 
you. There will be only two of you, and, if you 
capture him, a stronger company of hunters 
will take him from you. It is a big job, too, to 
take him down the Meinam on a raft to Bang- 
kok.” 

“We have only to capture him,” said 
Nughwa, who naturally was deeply interested 
in the matter; “after that, it will be easy 
enough, for I can get all the help I want. ’ ’ 

“Why not take the help with you into the 
jungle?” 


HOME AT LAST 


289 


“If I did that, I should have to divide the 
price among all who went with me ; if I wait till 
I have captured the elephant, I shall have to 
pay them wages only.” 

“Nughwa,” said the missionary with a 
laugh, “you are a Yankee in everything except 
birth. 9 ’ 

“I think you should be one of the hunters,” 
replied the native. 

“I should enjoy the sport and I thank you for 
the invitation, but you are liable to be gone for 
a week and perhaps for two or three weeks ; I 
could never consent to leave my people for so 
long a time, especially when one or two are ill. 
Nughwa’s plan can’t be improved; you and he 
will be the hunters, and, if you find need of help- 
ers, all you have to do is to hire them for the 
liberal wages I know you would be glad to pay. 
I need not remind you, Dud and. Fannie, that 
you mustn’t drop a hint of this to any one ex- 
cept your mother. If it should become known 
that a white elephant has been seen within a 
score of miles of the station, I fear there will 
be a stampede of most of my people into the 
jungle.” 

“We shall take care that they learn nothing 
from us,” was the assurance of Nughwa. 

Less than half an hour later, the native ran 

19 


290 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

the boat against the bank, and said the journey 
for the time was at an end. 

‘ 4 Have we reached home?” asked the aston- 
ished Dudley, rising to his feet, and helping his 
sister to land. 

“Pretty nearly; we shall soon be there.” 

A number of twinkling lights showed the 
presence of dwellings, but the darkness did not 
permit a clear view. The land was considera- 
bly elevated, and it had been hard work for the 
last hour or so for Nughwa to drive the boat 
against the current. 

Hardly had they stepped ashore, when a 
woman hurried from the gloom toward them. 
Before she was recognized, she asked in a trem- 
ulous voice: 

“Where is Dudley? Why didn’t you bring 
him with you?” 

“Here he is, mother,” called Fannie with a 
laugh ; “ so tall that you don ’t know him. ’ ’ 

“Can that be you, my own, darling son?” 

The next instant, when he had caught her in 
his strong arms, all doubt as' to his identity 
vanished. Amid the greetings and laughter and 
general joy, Nughwa pulled the boat up the 
bank, and quietly went to his own home in the 
missionary settlement. 

With his arm interlocked in his mother’s, and 


HOME AT LAST 


291 


Fannie nestling on the other side under his 
wing, as may be said, and the father slightly in 
advance, the happy family made their way to 
their home. Several persons were met, some 
of whom paused and looked wonderingly at the 
stranger, as dimly revealed in the lights from 
the dwellings. The missionary greeted all 
kindly, and, when one tall native halted in front 
of the party, the good man introduced him to 
the youth whom he was proud to call his son. 
The Siamese, who bore a name unpronounceable 
to Dudley, gravely shook his hand, and said in 
broken English that he was glad to know him 
and hoped he would stay at Wahta-Shat for- 
ever. 

“That’s a pretty good while,” remarked Dud- 
ley with a laugh as the walk was resumed, ‘ ‘ but 
I don’t intend you shall get rid of me for some 
time yet.” 

The blinking lights revealed to the observant 
youth that the dwellings of the missionary sta- 
tion were arranged in two rows facing each 
other, with a street some fifty feet in width be- 
tween. When he had gone a little farther, he 
noticed that all seemed to be standing on stilts. 
They were constructed of bamboo, probably the 
most useful tree that grows in tropical coun- 
tries, and between the buildings, as he after- 


292 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


ward discovered, were small spaces of culti- 
vated land. In the centre of the settlement was 
a neat chapel for worship. The whole place 
showed the striking contrast between the thrift 
of the little Christian community and the indo- 
lence to be seen in most of the towns of Farther 
India. 

Dudley Mayson followed his relatives into 
their home, the interior of which was lighted by 
lamps of cocoanut oil. In the full glow, he had 
to submit to the loving inspection of his mother, 
whose delight was irrepressible at finding that 
her boy, whom she had not seen for years, was 
really with her. A meal was waiting, and, for 
the first time in two days, the youth partook of 
well-broiled fish. This was the only solid food, 
the rest consisting of several varieties of fruit. 

Where everything was so new and strange, 
Dudley was in a state of continual wonderment. 
They were waited upon by a comely female 
servant, whose modesty and prompt obedience 
would have made her a prize in this part of the 
world. Three or four cats were purring under 
the bamboo chairs and tables, and Dudley 
laughed when he found that none of them pos- 
sessed a tail. He was told that they had not 
been robbed of the appendages, but belonged to 


HOME AT LAST 


293 


a numerous feline class of Siam which have 
never, as long as men can remember, been the 
owners of such ornaments. 

“And why do all the houses stand so high?” 
he asked, when something like quiet had come 
to the household. 

4 ‘ I should think you would know that without 
asking,” was the reply of Fannie; “it is to 
keep out the serpents and many kinds of rep- 
tiles. Some of them like to creep into the 
house, but I have never been able to like them, 
although I have tried to.” 

“Ugh! I hate all kinds of serpents; I saw 
some on my way here, and I make it a rule to 
kill them whenever I have the chance. ’ ’ 

“It seems to be the general feeling, though 
I have never been able to share it,” said the 
missionary; “it won’t take you long, however, 
to become accustomed to this life, which you 
will find very different from life in dear 
America. ’ ’ 

The family sat in loving converse until the 
hour was well advanced, when they knelt around 
the family altar, and the father offered his 
thanks to the merciful One who had brought 
about this reunion after so many years and so 
many thousand miles of separation. When he 
prayed for a continuance of divine care, he 


294 : 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


asked the favor of heaven, if such was its will, 
upon the enterprise in which the son was soon 
to engage, and the mother naturally could 
not understand the meaning of such a peculiar 
petition. 


CHAPTER XXVII 


THE NIGHT BEFORE 

W HEN the devotions of the evening were 
ended, Mrs. Mayson gently asked of 
her husband : 

“What did you mean by speaking in your 
prayer of some enterprise in which Dudley ex- 
pects to take part?” 

“I declare I ought to have told you that,” 
was the innocent response; “when he and 
Nughwa, were on their way from Ayuthia they 
saw a white elephant in the jungle; the chance 
of capturing such a prize is too good to be 
thrown away.” 

‘ ‘ When do they wish to start on the hunt ? ’ ’ 
“You understand the value of time; the ani- 
mal is working northward, and if they wait too 
long, they will lose a chance which does not 
often come to a hunter. ’ ’ 

“And in this matter, does not my good hus- 
band assume more than he has a right to as- 
sume, when he takes my consent for granted f ’ 9 
295 


296 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“The opposite belief would be an assumption. 
Did mother ever refuse the wish of her boy 
when such wish was a sensible one 1 ’ ’ 

“I have not admitted that Dudley’s wish is 
sensible.” 

“Not in words, but neither he nor I can doubt 
it.” 

As may be supposed, Dudley and Fannie were 
listening with rapt interest. They saw that the 
moment had not yet come for persuasion on 
their part. 

“It is a trial for me to have him leave for an 
indefinite time after he has been with us only a 
few hours; why, I have not yet become accus- 
tomed to his stature and change of looks.” 

‘ ‘ The trial is as great to me as to you. When 
he and Nughwa told me of their plan, I was in- 
clined to refuse, but finally left it to you. If 
you say no, that ends it.” 

Dudley rose from his chair, and, crossing the 
room, placed his arm around the neck nf his 
mother and kissed her but did not speak. Ac- 
tions sometimes are more eloquent than words. 
Fannie wanted to do something, but was not 
clear in her mind what it should be, so she did 
nothing except to look wistful and pleading. 

Returning the caress of her son, the mother 
said, in a slightly tremulous voice: 


THE NIGHT BEFORE 


297 


“You may go with Nughwa, Dudley.” 

“Thank you, mother; you couldn’t be any 
better or kinder if you tried. I feel hopeful of 
capturing the prize, and if we do, my share of 
the profits shall go to you and father. ’ ’ 

“You are counting your chickens before they 
are hatched, ’ ’ said the latter, who could not help 
sharing the glowing enthusiasm of his boy, 
though, as he had shown, his hope of success 
was by no means as strong as that of the youth. 

“And what is the harm of doing that?” 

“None, except it is apt to make one’s disap- 
pointment the keener.” 

“If we fail, I shall have had a mighty good 
time, for I can think of nothing finer than hunt- 
ing elephants. What will you do with the for- 
tune, Pop?” 

“I haven’t received any fortune yet, and the 
prospect of receiving it is hazy.” 

“I won’t deny that, but, if we are successful, 
won ’t it be splendid ? It will make us all rich. ’ ’ 

“Yes,” was the characteristic response; “it 
will help me in doing my Master’s work.” 

A faint tapping was heard on the door which, 
for the sake of greater secrecy, was closed. 
When it opened, the dark, smiling face of 
Nughwa appeared. Each knew what had 
brought him thither and he was always wel- 


298 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


come. He seated himself in the group and mod- 
ulated his voice, so that it was impossible for 
any eavesdropper to overhear the words. 
Eavesdropping was not common at Wahta-Shat, 
but the presence of the young foreigner at the 
station may have brought curious ones around 
the door. Many of these understood the Eng- 
lish tongue well enough to catch the meaning of 
the words that might fall on their ears. 

The sagacious native saw that the subject 
which was on his mind was under discussion, 
and he needed no one to tell him how the mother 
felt in the matter. 

‘ ‘ Have you spoken to Atrera,?” asked the 
missionary, mentioning the name of the wife of 
the Siamese. 

“Ah, no,” he replied with a grin, “why 
should I tell her of this grand plan ? She would 
be so filled with it that she could not keep the 
secret, though she would try hard, and then we 
should have all the men at the station flocking 
after us, and they would scare the white ele- 
phant into Burmah or Cambodia. Nughwa has 
too much sense to share any secret with his 
wife.” 

“They have told me all about it,” said Mrs. 
Mayson with a smile. 


THE NIGHT BEFORE 


299 


1 1 That is very different , 1 9 was the gallant re- 
sponse; “you are wise.” 

“And you are complimentary; the news will 
be all the more pleasant to Atrera when she sees 
you bringing the white elephant home. ’ ’ 

During this exchange of views, Dudley May- 
son recalled a singular piece of forgetfulness 
on the part of himself as well as of Nughwa. 
You remember that when the man left the lad 
under the cocoa palm tree, it was to seek a view 
of the white elephant and his companions, who 
were known to be pressing their way northward. 
In the flurry of the incidents that followed the 
matter had been wholly forgotten. Dudley now 
asked his friend what success he had had. 

“I saw him,” was the reply, “ and the sight 
has given me much hope. The three are work- 
ing northward, but are in no haste, for why 
should they be? They will crop the herbage, 
bathe in the streams and rest when they feel 
like it, so their progress will not be fast.” 

1 ‘ It looks as if their home is toward the Laos 
country . 9 1 

“So it is.” 

“How, then, do you account for their being so 
far south?” 

“Elephants are strange creatures; they will 
stay in one neighborhood for years and then a 


300 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


sudden notion will take them to wander off; 
they may remain for months, but they always 
work back to their old home. That was the 
way with the white elephant and his friends.” 

The experience of the missionary led him to 
question the Siamese more closely. 

“You have followed these animals for a con- 
siderable distance and have formed a theory of 
the course they are likely to follow for several 
days to comer’ 

Nughwa nodded. 

“Tell me what that theory is.” 

“I have hunted more than once through that 
country; I know of a pool in which they are 
fond of bathing; I think the three will stop 
there for a time, and then push on; it is there 
I shall look for their spoor.” 

This meant that the native instead of press- 
ing an aimless search through the intervening 
country, would make straight for the water to 
which he had referred. If his theory proved 
right, he would save much time and distance. 

‘ 4 If you fail, what will you do ? ” 

Nughwa shrugged his shoulders and grinned. 

“I shall be as well off as before; I will begin 
the hunt from that point.” 

“You speak of the place as being liked by 


THE NIGHT BEFORE 


301 


elephants for bathing; then a good many must 
resort thither ?” 

“Yes; I have seen them.” 

“You are likely to come upon the spoor of a 
score of elephants : how will you know whether 
the white one was among them?” 

The same difficulty had occurred to Mrs. May- 
son and to Dudley. The latter compressed his 
lips and shook his head. He accepted the ques- 
tion as a poser. 

< i There can he no difference in the tracks, and 
I shall not try to tell which one is that of the 
white elephant; I shall look for those of three 
friends and companions.” 

“And if you find them, the chances are they 
will be the spoor of those you are seeking,” 
said the missionary, pleased with the shrewd- 
ness of Nughwa. 

‘ ‘ It will look that way to me. ’ ’ 

“You do not forget that we saw three bath- 
ing this evening,” said Dudley. 

“No, but that number is not common; nearly 
every herd has more members — sometimes 
twenty and even greater. It may be that three 
others are in a group, but the chances are 
against it. If I can find the spoor made by 
three, I shall be hopeful.” 

Nughwa had thus explained the general line 


302 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


he meant to follow. The mother, as might have 
been expected, now turned attention to the 
preparations for the important enterprise. It 
may be said that the Siamese was always ready 
for an undertaking of that nature, for it was 
his profession. With his conversion, he laid 
aside many of his old customs. He wore a tur- 
ban, instead of going with his head shaved. 
We recall that the upper part of his body was 
covered with a thin jacket and he used sandals. 
It has been shown also that he had abandoned 
the Buddhist’s respect for animal life. Those 
of that faith will not kill vermin or serpents, 
and the tameness of many creatures in Buddhist 
countries is a cause of amazement to aliens, but 
Nughwa was as bitter in his hatred of many 
pests as a Christian. 

It was settled that Dudley Mayson should 
discard his Panama hat and use one of the hel- 
mets of his father, the size of their heads being 
about the same. Although the warmth of the 
country would make a thin coat uncomfortable 
at times, it was thought best that the youth 
should wear one that was spanned at the waist 
by a girdle and ended at the hips. The trousers 
reached to his knees, below which his limbs 
would be protected by leathern leggings and his 
feet covered with good shoes. This costume 


THE NIGHT BEFORE 


303 


was similar to that to which he had become ac- 
customed when living with his uncle in the 
United States. 

Nughwa for the first time carefully inspected 
the rifle of the lad. It was somewhat smaller 
than the usual weapon used by men, but it had 
great penetrating power, and, because of its 
lighter weight, was declared to be preferable to 
the heavier gun which his father employed 
when hunting in the jungle. 

4 4 He is used to it,” said Nughwa,” and will 
do better than with one which is strange to him ; 
he has plenty of bullets, powder and caps, the 
same as myself.” 

“It is fortunate, Dudley,” said his mother, 
“that you are as tall and heavy as your father, 
for his clothes will serve you until you can have 
some made for yourself. You will need other 
articles, such as a comb, brush, and several little 
things, which I have found in the luggage that 
arrived to-day.” 


CHAPTER XXVIII 

“ I HAVE FOUND IT ” 

D UDLEY MAYSON, despite the exciting 
council of the night before, would have 
slumbered much longer the following 
morning, had he not been aroused by a sudden, 
spiteful whirring, like that of a cheap alarm 
clock. He started up and stared around, fear- 
ing that some kind of a poisonous thing had 
entered the apartment in which he had passed 
the hours of slumber. 

The racket lasted for several seconds, then 
ceased and the syllables “To hay” were dis- 
tinctly pronounced four or five times. This 
disclosed the identity of the creature, which was 
the famous lizard of Siam, known as the takuet, 
and accepted as the type of craft, and cunning 
in the proverbs of the country. It is almost as 
large as a man’s hand, and, when it enters a 
dwelling is never molested. It is an inveterate 
enemy of all vermin and more prized even than 
the tailless cats. 


304 


I HAVE FOUND IT 


305 


Dudley had learned something of the reptile 
the night before from Fannie, so. when he saw 
the curious looking object on the floor a few feet 
away, seemingly gazing in wonderment at him, 
he lay still and returned the stare. 

‘ ‘ I wonder whether I shall ever get used to all 
the strange creatures in this part of the world ; 
I don’t believe I shall; it’s a pity that so many 
of the people are Buddhists, for they encourage 
the serpents to live.” 

Now that our young friend is at home in 
Siam, a few words may be added concerning the 
country. You will bear in mind that this visit 
of Dudley Mayson was made nearly if not quite 
a generation ago. Siam was the only nation 
that flourished under the rule of two kings, there 
being a first and a second one, with duties so 
well defined that there was no friction of au- 
thority. If you care to know the names of 
those two rulers, here they are: First King, 
Phrabat Somdetja Phra Paraminthara ; Second 
King, Kroman Bawarawich ai Chau. I wish 
I could pronounce them for you, but it is useless 
to try. 

I have made references to the country of the 
Laos. The Shan states are tributary, the north- 
ern to Burmah and the southern to Siam. A 
large portion of the mountainous region of these 
20 


306 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


states forms the Laos country. The people be- 
yond the northern frontier of Siam tattoo them- 
selves with figures in ink, printed on their bod- 
ies, with needle-like points ; the southern race 
living on and within the eastern frontier of 
Siam, do not tattoo. The capital is Xieng Mai, 
standing on a wide plain on the right bank of 
the Meinam, five hundred miles north of Bang- 
kok. Siam contains about a million Laocians, 
who are gentle, unwarlike and superstitious. 

When Dudley Mayson had descended the 
short stairs and greeted his parents and sister, 
he strolled through the settlement, while await- 
ing the morning meal. He had gained a gen- 
eral idea of the place the night before. The 
thrifty appearance of everything, the single 
narrow street, the bamboo dwellings, the chapel 
and the patches of cultivated earth, impressed 
him, and he felt a thrill of reverential pride to 
know that all this change had been brought 
about by his father and mother. 

Naturally, he attracted attention in a com- 
munity where every person knew everybody 
else. It was creditable to the training of these 
natives that their curiosity never became offen- 
sive. When he looked into the faces of the men 
and women, they invariably nodded and greeted 
him in their own language. Some of the half- 


I HAVE FOUND IT 


307 


dressed children stared and grinned without 
salutation. He noticed the universal practice 
of staining the teeth a dark color wih the juice 
of the betel nut. Every man and woman, and 
some of the larger children showed the dis- 
figurement. It was repellant to Dudley, as it is 
to any visitor, but in the eyes of the missionary 
the matter was so trifling that he made no ob- 
jection. He believed in the policy of St. Paul 
who was willing to conform in non-essentials to 
the practices of certain Jews, in order to win 
their good will. 

Another fact struck the youth as singular: 
that was the seeming indifference of his rela- 
tives to danger that might be threatening him. 
He had related his adventure with the crocodile, 
which he mistook for a log, with the tornado, 
the serpent, and the crazy devotee. While they 
showed agitation over the latter, they saw, so 
far as he was able to judge, nothing noteworthy 
in the other incidents. They knew of the prob- 
ability of tigers being met while he and Nughwa 
were hunting the white elephant, hut they ac- 
cepted that as a matter of course. 

“I suppose it is because they are used to all 
these things, but in my country, no mother al- 
lows her boy to run into the slightest danger if 
she can help it, and if he does so, she is worried 


308 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

almost to death until he comes hack right side 
up.” 

It would be interesting to dwell more at 
length upon life at the missionary station of 
Wahta-Shat, but that phase of the narration is 
outside of its scope. We can follow only the 
experiences of Dudley Mayson and his guide 
during the most memorable hunt in which they 
ever engaged. 

The plan of campaign having been fixed, 
Nughwa did not delay in carrying it out. 
Guarded investigation on his part removed his 
fear that the real business of the two had leaked 
out, or was suspected. Nughwa engaged in too 
many elephant-hunts for any one to feel sur- 
prise when they saw him start upon another. 

The morning meal was hardly completed at 
the home of the missionary, when Wahridda 
came swinging to the front of the dwelling, with 
Nughwa sitting astride of her neck. Her mas- 
ter guided her beside the high porch, to make 
it easy for Dudley to seat himself on her back 
without using a short ladder or requiring her 
to kneel. 

The saddle of the huge creature is known as 
a “howdah,” and is that which you have seen 
on the backs of the menagerie elephants, and 
into which you were so eager to climb and were 


I HAVE FOUND IT 


309 


scared out of your wits when you had done so. 
It was a circular seat, open in front, without 
any covering and capable of holding six or eight 
persons. This was for the accommodation of 
the young American. Nughwa preferred to sit 
on the rubber-like neck of the beast, though 
now and then, he shifted to the howdah, where 
he had placed his gun, ropes and other articles 
he expected to need before his return. 

When Dudley Mayson had made the slight 
leap necessary from the porch and landed in the 
howdah, he glanced around at his relatives. 

“I feel as if I were sitting on the top of a 
meeting-house; if I ever fall, it will break my 
neck. ’ 9 

“But you are not going to fall,” laughed 
Fannie; “you are not so awkward as that.” 

“The elephant is of the usual size,” quietly 
remarked the missionary; “I have dropped 
from their backs with very little jarring.” 

“Did you ever jump to the back of one?” 

“No; but I have seen it done.” 

i ‘ By whom ? Nughwa f ’ 9 

“No; by you, a few minutes ago.” 

“I meant from the ground; well, good bye, 
all!” 

He gaily waved his hand and the three re- 
turned the salutation. As Wahridda ambled 


310 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


ponderously along the single street, the men, 
women and most of the children paused from 
their occupations and stared and grinned. To 
several, Nughwa flirted his hand and smiled — 
notably to a comely woman, living in the last 
house, who had come forth and said something 
to him to which he replied. Dudley rightly con- 
jectured that this woman was the wife of his 
friend, though he saw neither of the two chil- 
dren. 

Wahridda was soon free from the settlement, 
and, at the command of her master, turned 
toward the northwest. As she plunged over a 
well-marked path, Nughwa began talking to her 
in Siamese, and kept it up for nearly a mile. 
When he was through, he turned his grinning 
face toward his companion : 

‘ ‘ Did you hear what I said ? ’ ’ 

“Yes, but didn’t understand a word.” 

“I reminded Wahridda of her noble line of 
ancestors — she has heard it all before, so it is 
an old story — and I told her of our seeing the 
white elephant and how anxious we are to make 
him a prisoner; then I explained how we are 
going about it.” 

“How useful that would be if she could un- 
derstand what you say!” 

“Understand what I say!” exclaimed 


I HAVE FOUND IT 


311 


Nughwa, turning his head farther, and assum- 
ing an earnest expression; “she understands 
every syllable. ’ ’ 

Dudley did not think it tactful to dispute this, 
though he was far from believing the astound- 
ing declaration. Nughwa clambered from the 
neck of the elephant into the howdah, with the 
remark : 

“How fortunate for you that Wahridda does 
not know your language!” 

“Why?” 

‘ ‘ If she did, she would run under some of the 
limbs and scrape you off, to show she does not 
like to be talked about that way.” 

“Please keep mum, Nughwa, then, and don’t 
tell her my words ; I will be careful hereafter of 
what I say. ’ ’ 

“I see you do not believe what I have said; 
to that, I answer — wait!” 

Had Wahridda chosen, she could have freed 
herself of her load in a twinkling. All she need- 
ed to do was to dash under some of the pro- 
truding limbs, and the howdah, man and boy, 
would have been brought tumbling to the 
ground. The vehicle was secured with great 
care by straps passed underneath her body and 
tied fast. It took Dudley some time to become 
accustomed to the peculiar swaying motion, 


312 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


which resembled that of a ship at sea, but it was 
the intelligent care of the animal herself that 
was the real protection of our friends. 

The course led through many open stretches 
of country, where there were no trees, but abun- 
dance of rank, luxuriant grass, which was tram- 
pled by the huge feet as easily as if the animal 
were making her way over an artificial carpet. 
Nughwa explained that they were “cutting 
’cross lots,” and, without looking for the spoor, 
he was heading for the stream with its pool, 
which, for some reason or other, was a favorite 
bathing place with many elephants. 

Observing the frequent searching glances of 
his companion from side to side and often in 
front, Dudley asked him the cause of his alert- 
ness. 

“It is my custom, when on a hunt,” he re- 
plied. 

‘ ‘ But you are unusually watchful. ’ 9 

“We are apt to meet tigers and I don’t care 
to stop and have a fight. ’ ’ 

“You have had many fights with them.” 

“More than I can remember. You have no- 
ticed that scar which reaches from my temple 
to my chin; there are others on my body; all 
were made by tiger claws, and the worst fight I 


I HAVE FOUND IT 


313 


ever had with one of the animals was in sight 
of this spot/’ 

Dudley thought it well to have an eye to 
things, and reached down and brought his rifle 
from the bottom of the howdah. Nughwa 
smiled : 

“They do not attack so suddenly that you 
won’t have time to catch up your gun; they are 
quick, and might bound from the jungle, hut 
Wahridda does not like them, and she will be 
sure to give us warning in time. ’ 9 

The elephant was jogging forward at what 
seemed to be a deliberate pace, but which put 
the land rapidly behind her. The plain was 
open right and left, and there was still a quar- 
ter of a mile in front, when the jungle once 
more confronted them. 

“Through that runs the stream which we are 
to cross, and where I expect to find the spoor of 
the white elephant.” 

“Shall we come up with him to-day?” 

Nughwa shook his head. 

“That is too good fortune to expect, but it 
may be.” 

He spoke to his pet and she instantly in- 
creased her pace. The fact that she showed no 
sign of alarm was proof that, no hostile animals 
were near. As she reached the edge of the 


314 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


jungle, Nughwa told her to moderate her speed. 
A minute later Dudley saw the shimmer of 
water through the trees. He noticed too that 
the sagacious creature was following a trail, 
doubtless made by those of her kind in going to 
the water. 

The protruding limbs compelled her to move 
slowly and pick her way, and despite her care, 
some of the branches rattled heavily against the 
howdah, and the occupants had to duck their 
heads to dodge painful blows. Dudley escaped 
by crouching, so that the sides of the saddle 
were higher than his body. A short distance 
and Wahridda halted on the edge of the water. 

The youth saw that the stream broadened like 
the one crossed the day before. Naturally only 
a few rods in width, it here expanded into a 
lagoon, fully two hundred yards across. It 
was not yet noon and not a solitary animal was 
descried standing in the water or sporting with 
the element, as they were sure to do later in 
the day. Near sunset was the favorite time, 
though, as has been shown, numbers of ele- 
phants preferred to have their ablutions at 
night. 

When Wahridda halted, her master stepped 
from the howdah and knelt on her neck. He 
leaned over and peered at the ground in front 


I HAVE FOUND IT 


315 


and on each side. It was so wet and spongy 
that no animal could pass into the water with- 
out leaving deeply imbedded footprints. The 
ground was so contorted with them, that Dudley 
could not believe that such experienced eyes 
even as his companion’s could differentiate the 
tracks. Instead of a spoor made by three ele- 
phants, it looked as if scores had trampled 
over the spot and each had left his mark. 

Suddenly Nughwa, leaving his gun behind, 
seized the upper part of one of Wahridda’s big 
ears, and, using it to steady himself, swung to 
the ground with the nimbleness of a monkey. 
The youth smiled at the indifference of the 
brute, who stood motionless and seemingly una- 
ware of the liberty that had just been taken with 
her. 

But Nughwa was not thinking of her. He 
first turned to the right, and walked along the 
bank for fifty paces or more. He moved slowly, 
and with his keen black eyes on the ground, 
sometimes pausing and stooping to gain closer 
scrutiny. How he could hope for success in 
separating the tracks of three from their num- 
berless companions was more than Dudley May- 
son could comprehend, and yet the Siamese 
would not have made the effort unless he had 
reason to look for success. 


316 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


Pausing at the extreme end of the route, 
Nughwa stood with arms akimbo, studying the 
soggy earth in front of him. He did not stoop, 
as he had done several times before, but gazed 
a long time at one spot, in which he seemed to 
discover something. Then he slowly raised his 
eyes and peered across the lagoon to the other 
shore. Nothing rewarded this visual search, 
and he turned and began approaching the spot 
where Wahridda and her rider were awaiting 
him. As he drew near, he looked up at Dudley 
and shook his head. 

“The spoor is not on that side; if I do not 
find it below, then I have made a mistake and 
we must search for it — I don’t know where.” 

He wasted no time, but did his work thor- 
oughly, advancing still slower than before, and 
scrutinizing every foot of ground that came into 
his narrow field of vision. 

4 4 He was confident last night, ’ ’ thought Dud- 
ley, 4 4 but he ought to have remembered that the 
easiest thing in the world is for a person to 
make a mistake. If he does not find what he is 
seeking, it will be as he said: he won’t know 
where to look. I am afraid after all that as 
Pop fears — the white elephant is beyond our 
reach.” 

Nughwa had abruptly halted a dozen paces 


I HAVE FOUND IT 


317 


away. Dudley saw him stoop, as if about to 
pick up something. Then he walked toward the 
water, turned, and moved rapidly from it. A 
few yards were enough, when he straightened 
up, and with glowing face called to his young 
friend : 

“I have found it!” 


CHAPTER XXIX 


A SNUB 

W AHRIDDA showed that she understood 
the joyous words of her master, by 
immediately walking to where he 
stood. Reaching out, her trunk, she wrapped it 
about his waist, he steadying himself with his 
hand against the prehensile organ, and gently 
lifted him with a twisting motion to her head, 
where, setting him free, he bestrode the pulpy 
neck. 

“You seem to be sure of it, Nughwa,” said 
Dudley, no less pleased than his friend. 

“I am sure; look there!” 

He pointed to the soft, wet earth on the edge 
of the lagoon, which was a network of tracks 
made by the large animals. 

“I should -say twenty-odd elephants have 
crossed there within the last few hours.” 

‘ ‘ They have, and among them were the three 
we are seeking. Their spoor is as plain as the 
sun shining in the sky. ’ ’ 

318 


A SNUB 


319 


“It may be to yon, but I can make nothing 
of it.” 

At the command of Nughwa, the elephant 
now stepped into the lagoon. She moved slowly, 
feeling her way after the manner of her kind. 

“Will she have to swim?” asked Dudley. 

“No; the water comes well up to her sides, 
and at one place will touch the howdah, but she 
can walk all the way.” 

Wahridda advanced regularly and it proved 
to be as her master had said. She would have 
been glad to halt long enough to spray herself 
with the refreshing element, but made no at- 
tempt to do so, because she knew her master 
was not willing to delay. She was a cheerful 
slave to his wishes. 

Three-fourths of the distance was passed and 
the depth had shallowed to that extent that the 
dripping body rose clear, when the beast ab- 
ruptly halted, raised her trunk, and slightly 
trumpeted. Her riders saw the cause. Two 
elephants of great size had come out of the 
jungle to the edge of the lagoon, when they 
halted at sight of the party in the water. 

Nughwa stepped into the howdah and picked 
up his rifle. 

“I may have to shoot,” he explained quietly. 

“Shall I help you?” 


320 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“ No ; don’t attempt to tire ; if a second shot is 
needed, I will use your gun.” 

It looked as if a collision was certain, for the 
two big fellows trumpeted, and one of them 
moved down the slight slope, and headed direct- 
ly for Wahridda. His companion did the same 
close behind him. Nughwa stood erect, and be- 
gan swinging his arms and shouting to the 
strangers. His words and manner made the 
couple uneasy. They advanced slowly, watch- 
ing the single animal and its riders, or rather 
the one who was creating such a racket. He did 
not relax his vigor, and finally produced the ef- 
fect he was aiming at. The couple turned to 
one side and made a detour, which placed sev- 
eral rods between them and the other as they 
met and passed. 

Dudley Mayson was uneasy, for he was sure 
that a collision must be a serious one. Nughwa 
could readily bring down the first animal, for 
he knew the exact spot to use as a target, but 
the bullet carried by the boy’s rifle was so much 
smaller than those used in hunting large game, 
that he feared it would do no more than wound 
the beast, which in his rage, would charge upon 
his assailant. That would bring Wahridda 
into the fray and she would give a good ac- 
count of herself, but, to put it mildly, the two 


A SNUB 


321 


riders must suffer some “ disturbance. ’ ’ Hap- 
pily, however, all this was averted, through 
the shouts and antics of the Siamese. 

Dudley kept watch of the two fellows. The 
sight after the meeting was curious. When 
the couple were a number of paces behind 
Wahridda, they paused, and standing with their 
bodies pointed toward the shore, solemnly 
turned their huge heads and gazed steadily at 
the single creature with the howdali on her back. 
Queer thoughts must have wriggled through 
those massive brains. Perhaps they were in 
doubt whether they had not acted a discredit- 
able part and were disposed to make the attack 
after all. If so, they thought better and re- 
sumed their plodding passage, not halting to 
indulge in any frolics in the water. 

“It is well for them they showed good sense,” 
said Nughwa, resuming his seat beside his 
young friend; “if they had come a step nearer, 
I should have fired.” 

“Would my rifle have answered for the sec- 
ond?” 

“I should have tried to reload mine before 
he reached us; if I had not enough time, then 
your gun would have been used; it might not 
have killed him, but,” added the native sig- 


21 


322 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


nificantly, “Wahridda would have given what- 
ever help we needed.” 

With the passing of the danger, Nughwa once 
more centred his attention upon the important 
work in hand. He had laid down his gun with- 
in the howdah, and perched on the neck of his 
beast, was leaning far over and studying the 
innumerable footprints. Dudley used his eyes 
as best he could, but they were of no assistance 
in the peculiar task. 

Evidently Nughwa was disappointed. The 
footprints for which he was searching did not 
appear. It looked as if the three elephants had 
left the stream at some other point, or had 
turned about and gone back to the shore behind 
them. The latter was not likely, since the trio 
were certainly making for the Laos country. 

As Wahridda stepped upon the hard earth, 
her master swung himself down as before with 
the aid of one of her flapping ears and renewed 
his search for the spoor. This time he turned 
to the right, being contrary to the course which 
had ended with his first discovery. Almost im- 
mediate success followed. 

“I have it! Come, Wahridda!” 

She lumbered toward him, he running for- 
ward to meet her, and he was circled back to his 
seat by her trunk. But our friends were not 


A SNUB 


323 


yet through with annoyances, for hardly had 
Wahridda ascended the gentle declivity which 
led into the jungle, when a shout fell upon their 
ears, and she halted. The crashing of under- 
growth showed where one of her kind was ap- 
proaching over a course that would bring him 
within a rod or less of our friends. Dudley 
saw the swaying branches which soon parted 
like a veil and revealed two men seated on the 
back of a large elephant, without any saddle. 
At sight of Nughwa they checked their gigantic 
steed and addressed him by name, for they 
were old acquaintances, — elephant-catchers like 
himself, though not Christians. The conver- 
sation, as afterwards interpreted by Nughwa, 
was substantially as follows: 

“ Whither are you going, Nughwa ?” 

6 ‘ On a hunt, as you should know without ask- 
ing; I have a friend with me, who has never 
hunted elephants and I wish to show him how it 
is done.” 

i ‘ He is a stranger to us ; where does he come 
from?” 

“He is the son of the good missionary at 
Wahta-Shat; he has come a long way over the 
great water and reached his home last night.” 

“We have been on a two days’ hunt,” 

“With what success?” 


324 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


“None, and yet not wholly none; we shot one 
elephant who had big tusks that we shall claim ; 
they will bring a goodly sum in Bangkok; do 
you seek ivory ?” 

Nughwa was tempted to falsify, but his con- 
science would not permit him. 

“No, my friend wishes to make prisoner of 
an elephant.” 

“Why should he do that when you have one 
with you?” 

“She is mine; no one can buy her from me.” 

‘ 4 He can buy plenty so that no risk will come 
to himself.” 

“What sport is it when the hunter runs no 
risk? It would rob it of all its enjoyment,” 

“True; we will go with you to help take care 
of your friend.” 

This remark gave Nughwa a thrill of sus- 
picion. It was unusual for a couple of natives 
to volunteer in this manner to join a party of 
hunters, when not invited to do so. 

“They know of the white elephant,” was the 
thought of the guide ; ‘ 1 they believe we are look- 
ing for him ; they mean to share the prize with 
us ; but, they shall not , 9 9 

He would have been annoyed had the circum- 
stances been different. He therefore spoke 
curtly : 


A SNUB 


325 


“You have not been asked to join us; we do 
not want you ; I would not care for myself, but 
you have not the looks that please strangers. ” 

This certainly was a “snub,” and the two to 
whom the words were addressed were not 
pleased. One of them had done the talking 
thus far, but it was the other who now spoke: 

“How do you know your friend would not 
like to have us go with you f Surely he will be 
safer than with you alone, for we are better 
elephant hunters than you . ’ 9 

“I should not like to say that to him, for fear 
the words would be put to a test ; then he would 
learn that they were false.” 

“You must have some particular reason for 
not wishing any companions except this boy of 
the white face.” 

The words rankled. Nughwa thought he saw 
a sinister meaning in the peculiar intonation of 
the speaker. 

“They know of the white elephant,” was his 
thought; “they have lost his spoor; they 
learned long ago that my skill is much greater 
than theirs ; they mean to go with me, but they 
shall not ; I kept away the two elephants and I 
will keep them away. ’ ’ 

To strengthen his position, Nughwa now 
spoke to Dudley Mayson: 


326 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


‘ 1 They want to go with ns on this hunt ; I do 
not want them; do you?” 

“Of course not; they are strangers to me, 
though not to you; I do not like their looks; 
get rid of them as soon as you can.” 

This was sufficient for Nughwa’s purpose, 
and he turned to his countrymen : 

“My friend does not like your looks; he 
does not wish you for companions; that is 
enough, and we shall not let you go with us. ’ 9 

To show that the matter was ended, the guide 
spoke to his animal and she plunged into the 
jungle. The Siamese did not look behind him, 
hut hearing nothing of the noisy progress of the 
other, he knew they were standing still, prob- 
ably debating as to what they should do. 

The black eyes of the guide flashed. He had 
a temper of his own and it had been roused by 
what had just taken place. Wahridda had gone 
but a little way when a gentle word from her 
master caused her to halt. He slipped to the 
ground, and Dudley noticed that this time he 
took his rifle with him. The jungle was so 
dense that, walking fast, he quickly passed from 
sight. 

The Siamese moved as silently as a shadow 
through the wood, turning off from the trail 
his own animal had been following, and enter- 


A SNUB 


327 


ing that over which his two acquaintances had 
passed. They knew nothing of his veiled ap- 
proach, and, when he caught sight of them, he 
made sure he was invisible to both. 

The other elephant was standing motionless 
and the men on his back were conversing in 
tones so low that the eavesdropper could not 
distinguish the words. Protected by the trunk 
of a tree, he softly raised the hammer of his 
rifle, muffling the dull click lest it should reach 
their ears. Nughwa was never in a more dead- 
ly earnest mood. He was determined that 
these two should neither be his companions on 
the eventful hunt, nor should they be allowed 
to follow even at a distance. He would give 
them warning, and if necessary shoot both, for, 
though he had but the single charge at instant 
command, he had no fear of the couple. 

As the elephant stood, his head was turned 
away, and the natives consequently had their 
backs toward Nughwa. This helped to muffle 
their voices, and, though our friend strained his 
acute hearing to the utmost, it availed him noth- 
ing. He did not doubt that the two were debat- 
ing the question of following the man and boy, 
and the fact indicated further, that one was in 
favor of doing so, while the other was op- 
posed. 


328 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


It is safe to say that the natives never knew 
how close they trod to death in those few min- 
utes. Nughwa had proved by more than one 
severe test that he was a Christian, and his 
conscience did not rebuke him for the resolution 
he had formed. These men may have seen the 
white elephant and failed in their attempt to 
capture him. They should not be allowed to 
use him , in trying to repair their blunder: on 
that point he was inflexible. 

He who opposed the trick was successful in 
whatever argument he advanced. It may have 
been that he had a clearer knowledge of the 
character of Nughwa and feared his anger. Be 
that as it may, the plan was abandoned. Their 
elephant trampled off, with his head still point- 
ed toward the lagoon. Soon after, the splash 
of water was heard. Nughwa stole forward 
and saw the animal wading from shore. The 
guide kept his place, until he saw him ascend 
the opposite slope and disappear in the jungle 
on that side. Then Nughwa turned and has- 
tened back to his anxious young friend. 


CHAPTER XXX 


“THE END IS THE BEGINNING ” 

44 lip ARE through with them,” an- 
W nounced Nughwa, as his elephant 
assisted him to his seat again ; 
“they will trouble us no more.” 

Knowing the concern of Dudley Mayson, he 
briefly told what he had witnessed. 

“It looks as if they knew something about the 
white elephant,” said the youth. 

“I cannot be sure as to that, but I am sure 
that, though we may be bothered by others, they 
will not get in our way.” 

6 6 The temptation must be strong, but may it 
not be they have come to the belief that where 
they failed, no hope remains to us, or rather to 
you, for I don’t count?” 

“That is perhaps true; let us give them no 
more thought.” 

“Urged by her master, Wahridda increased 
her speed, wherever the opportunity offered. 
At times, she had to pick her way carefully, for 
329 


330 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


she never forgot the two who sat in the howdah, 
and, as it was, they had to dodge the limbs 
which now and then brushed against them. 
Then an open space would be reached, where 
the progress was unimpeded, and, though her 
gait was awkward, she made excellent progress. 
The convergence of different kinds of animals 
to this favorite bathing place created a num- 
ber of trails which were of great help to the 
beast; but, as she advanced, these paths not 
only decreased in number but showed with less 
distinctness. This added to the difficulty of 
traveling. 

Two or three miles had been traversed, when 
Nughwa suddenly said: 

“I am displeased.’ ’ 

“With what!” was the surprised question. 

“Don’t you see a storm is coming?” 

As he spoke, he looked up at the sky, whose 
fast gathering clouds had eclipsed the sun- 
light, which was growing dimmer with every 
minute. At the same time the lad’s cheek was 
struck by a large drop of water. 

“Hurry!” called Nughwa, slipping to the 
ground in his usual fashion. Dudley imitated 
him, but, through fear of hurting the elephant, 
he grasped the ear too gingerly, and sprawled 
to the ground. The distance was not sufficient 


“THE END IS THE BEGINNING ” 331 

to harm him, and he was on his feet in an in- 
stant. 

At this time they were in the middle of an 
open stretch of country, with the protecting 
jungle two hundred yards away at the nearest 
point. Dudley supposed they were to make a 
run for it, hut had they started, they would 
have been drenched, for nothing can surpass 
the suddenness with which tropical storms break 
in all their fury. Such, however, was not the 
purpose of the guide, who at the moment of 
leaping down, called to Wahridda to kneel and 
she promptly obeyed. 

By the time the two alighted, myriads of big 
drops were shooting downward like leaden 
bullets. The instant Wahridda completed her 
kneeling, Nughwa darted behind one of her ears 
and shouted to Dudley to do the same on the 
other side. The lad understood what was 
necessary, and dashed around in front of the 
huge head, with the tusks almost resting on the 
ground, the trunk curled up between them, and 
the patient eyes looking out as calmly as those 
of the Sphinx. 

Darting in behind the ear, Dudley shriveled 
together and found he was as well protected as 
if in his own home. Wahridda, with her usual 
sagacity, threw back her aural appendages, as 


332 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


far as was convenient, the hollow in front of the 
shoulder offering the necessary niche, into 
which the youth shrank and smiled at the storm. 
Nughwa did the same, except that he allowed 
iiis feet to project from the lower lobe of the 
ear, where they were plentifully sprinkled. 

The rain was accompanied by a strong gust, 
of wind, which blew directly against the head of 
the elephant. This was fortunate for our 
friends, for had the torrent descended vertical- 
ly, it is quite likely the roof would have leaked. 

Dudley Mayson could not help smiling over 
the natural umbrella which served him so well, 
for the shelter could not have been improved, 
though it was not the one he would have chosen 
before a tree with abundant foliage. There 
was a musky odor in the stuffy quarters 
which, with the natural heat of the animal’s 
body, would have made a prolonged stay un- 
pleasant. 

“I wonder if the owner of the house will ob- 
ject if I cut a window through,” said the lad to 
himself, as he gently pushed the enormous flap 
a few inches from his face; “a fellow is entitled 
to light and ventilation. She must know how 
I feel,” he added, as Wahridda flirted the big 
fan from before him, and left him standing in 
the open air. 


“THE END IS THE BEGINNING ” 333 

The cause was apparent. The rain had 
stopped as abruptly as it began, and the need 
for shelter had passed. 

“Up again!” called Nughwa; “we are losing 
time. ’ ’ 

Wahridda having sank to the ground, now 
waited till the two had clambered to her back, 
before she lurched to her feet again. They 
found the howdah saturated, but it would soon 
dry in the heated air, and our friends did not 
mind a little tiling like that. Well aware of 
the call for haste, Wahridda sped rapidly across 
the open space, and plunged again into the 
jungle at a pace which threatened the safety of 
the riders. 

“Has not this storm wiped out the spoor of 
the three elephants ? ’ 9 asked Dudley. 

“No,” replied Nughwa, who continually 
glanced at the ground ; “it is not quite so plain 
as before, but it doesn’t bother Wahridda.” 

“Is she helping you track the others?” asked 
the astonished youth. 

“I could do nothing without her, but it did 
not seem worth while to tell you, since you have 
so slight an opinion of her wisdom.” 

“I have had the highest opinion all along of 
her sagacity, Nughwa, but some of the things 
you told me stagger belief ; I am doing as you 


334 RIVER AND JUNGLE 

said, — waiting and ready to own up when the 
proof comes. ,, 

The sun had reappeared, and not a trace of 
the violent shower was noticeable, except the 
steaming moisture from the foliage and the 
ground. Some portions of the jungle were so 
depressed that the mosquitoes rose in swarms 
about the heads of the man and boy. They 
were so large and vicious that Dudley Mayson 
suffered a good deal, though they did not seem 
to bring discomfort to the Siamese. One can- 
not understand liow any person can become ac- 
customed to the insects, whose attacks are some- 
times maddening, but they certainly show par- 
tiality in their attention, and some people can 
stand them better than others. The relief came 
when Wahridda traversed higher ground, which 
grew more frequent as they progressed. 

Dudley’s mother had provided him with a 
lunch of cooked fish, which the two ate while 
swaying in the howdlia, topping off, as is the 
custom in that part of the world, with some of 
the delicious fruit which is always at com- 
mand. Nughwa said he explained to Wahridda 
early that morning the necessity of losing as 
little time as possible in the important enter- 
prise, and she had eaten enough to last her a 
week at least. However, it was not to be ex- 


“THE END IS THE BEGINNING ” 335 

pected that she would be very abstemious in the 
midst of plenty. 

“We are drawing near a more mountainous 
country than any you have seen, ’ ’ said Nughwa, 
4 ‘ and we shall find more wild animals there. ’ ’ 
“They don’t seem to be very scarce in the 
regions we have passed through, but why are 
we to meet more to the north?” 

“That section is better fitted for them and 
they are not as likely to be disturbed by hunters, 
though many hundreds could be killed without 
anyone noticing it.” 

‘ ‘ What sort of wild beasts shall we meet ? ” 
“Many kinds — elephants, tigers, buffaloes, 
bears, rhinoceroses, deer, ourang-outangs, and 
others of less account. ’ ’ 

“You have mentioned enough to satisfy any 
one ; we must be gaining on our game. ’ ’ 

“I believe we are; they are not making any 
haste to reach the mountainous region, and I 
think they spent some time bathing in the la- 
goon we left behind us ; if they did, we cannot 
be far behind them.” 

Dudley noticed a marked change in the face 
of the country. The altitude increased to that 
extent that he felt the difference in the tem- 
perature, not forgetting, however, that such dif- 
ference might be temporary and due to other 


336 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


causes. It looked like old hunting times in 
America, when at one of these halts, Nughwa 
pointed to a thin column of vapor rising against 
the clear sky. It was the first time the youth 
had seen anything of the kind in Siam. 

“Why have the natives kindled that?” he 
asked. 

“They are not natives; it is the work of 
white men. ’ 9 

“Then we are likely to have trouble with 
them ? ’ 9 

“I do not think so; their camp fire is in the 
wrong direction; besides, white men don’t know 
how to catch white elephants.” 

“They may shoot this one.” 

“Not unless they are fools; their lives would 
pay for their folly ; they must know something 
of the love which all Siamese feel for the sacred 
creatures; I have no fear of that .” 

When the elevation and character of the 
country were favorable, Nughwa borrowed 
Dudley’s telescope and scrutinized his field of 
vision. The youth noticed that he looked to the 
rear as well as the front. When questioned, 
however, he said it was not through any mis- 
giving that the two whom they met at the la- 
goon were stealing after them, but there might 


"THE END IS THE BEGINNING ” 337 

be others more determined than they to be “in 
at the death.” 

Thus while the course of the white elephant 
in passing comparatively close to the mission- 
ary station, was favorable in one respect, since 
it made his pursuit easier, it had the great dis- 
advantage of probably attracting the attention 
of others beside our friends. No elephant- 
catcher would throw away the chance of a life- 
time, and it was quite certain that the venture 
of this particular animal into the southern por- 
tion of Siam would prove the doom of his free- 
dom. From a wild, roving inhabitant of the 
jungle, he would become a pampered glutton, 
and the idol of multitudes, for no other reason 
than that disease had affected the pigment 
under some portions of his thick hide. 

Wahridda pressed forward with an energy 
that seemed tireless. Her master knew what 
she could do without fatigue, and none could 
have handled her with more consideration. He 
compelled her to slacken her gait, when, but for 
such command, she would have continued her 
high pace, and several times in the course of 
the afternoon he made her rest. None the less, 
she covered more miles that day than ever be- 
fore in her life. 

When the long, sultry afternoon drew to a 
22 


338 


RIVER AND JUNGLE 


close, Wahridda was halted near a clump of 
trees, where the grass was less abundant, the 
air cooler and hardly a mosquito intruded. 
The stream which wound to the left, was only 
a few yards wide and not more than two feet 
in depth. 

Nughwa borrowed the glass of Dudley May- 
son, and climbed to an adjoining elevation 
from which an extended view was gained, for it 
was high and wholly free from anything except 
a scattered growth of grass. While Wahridda 
began plucking the tender herbage near at hand, 
Dudley watched his friend. He saw him point 
his glass to the northward, and stand for two 
or three minutes without the slightest move- 
ment. Then, lowering the instrument, he 
turned and beckoned to his young friend to join 
him. 

Dudley hurried to his side. Nughwa handed 
him the glass, and, pointing with his hand al- 
most due north, said : 

“You see that small valley, with bushes 
growing between the ridges. Some animals are 
cropping the leaves, for they are of a kind which 
they love ; look at them . ’ 1 

The point indicated was about a third of a 
mile away. Dudley Mays on leveled the instru- 
ment and as he did so plainly saw three big 


“ THE END IS THE BEGINNING” 339 

quadrupeds feeding. And the one in the mid- 
dle was the white elephant! 

The moment the youth identified the animal, 
a singular reminiscence flashed upon him. 
When he was graduated from the High School, 
in his distant home, it fell to his lot to select the 
class motto : This was his choice : 

Finns est Initium 

“The end is the beginning,” he repeated; 
“the end of all our work thus far is the begin- 
ning of our real work in capturing the white 
elephant . 9 9 . 

He was right, and the particulars of his 
memorable adventures and experiences will be 
told in “The Hunt of the White Elephant: a 
Sequel to ‘River and Jungle.’ 99 


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